Butler and Student
by kikyokyoyahibari
Summary: Is Tsuna his butler or his student? One thing's for sure, she is not leaving Zangetsu, the Moon Fang, for the Vongola. What exactly does Tsuna do as Zangetsu's butler? It's not crossover to Kuroshitsuji because there's only Undertaker. Bleach/KHR cross
1. Chapter 1: Butler and New Home Tutor

A large Japanese household was hidden behind its large stone walls on top of a hill that overlooked the two towns of Namimori and Karakura. The walls have no gates, only a large space fit for a truck to enter through. Although the exterior of the house is Japanese, some of the interior is English furnished and a couple Korean-styles.

"Good morning, Master Zangetsu," a voice gently woke the master of the house from his slumber. The owner of the voice opened the Japanese screen door to the English-styled bedroom, which had the curtains wide open.

Master Zangetsu sat up from his bed as his butler, Sawada 'Tsuna' Tsunahime, listed off the breakfast items, "Breakfast consists of leeks and green onions omelet, sausages, broccoli, and miso soup. Would you like to eat them in bed or in the dining room?"

"Dining room," 'Master Zangetsu' answered. Master Zangetsu was a man in his late 30's. His shaggy hair was slightly curly and his skin was as pale as a blade, seeing as he rarely went out of the house unless it was for business or at night.

Tsuna laid out clothes for him on a chair nearby and went out to put breakfast in the dining room. Sawada Tsuna was originally his student. When he felt that he could no longer teach her, Tsuna decided to become his butler. Why she became his butler rather than his maid was beyond him, though she claimed that being a male calms her aggressive urges. Luckily, Japanese child labor laws had plenty of loopholes, so Tsuna had been able to serve him under his employment for over six years.

After Zangetsu changed out of his night clothes, he walked into the English-furnished dining room, where breakfast was placed at the head of the long table. Tsuna walked back to clean up his Japanese room.

Zangetsu quietly ate his breakfast as there was a crowd behind the door that leads to the kitchen.

"Zangetsu-sama doesn't do much talking, doesn't he?" a boy who looks like Tsuna's age asked. He has shaggy dark green hair and possesses facial scars. He's carrying around a bunny plush. Daisy works as the gardener. "If he was carrying around a scythe, he'd be like the Grim Reaper."

"Zangetsu doesn't use a scythe! He uses a sword! I think, boo," replied a blue-haired girl younger than Tsuna. Her long blue hair has some navy blue hair clips that Tsuna had given to her one birthday. Bluebell's the only maid there, if Tsuna's the butler.

The third of Zangetsu's spectators yawned. "Then where is the sword?" This one has flaming red hair, tied to a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck. Zakuro was employed as the cook.

Then, the teenage butler came back into the kitchen through the back door. "What are the four of you doing? Shouldn't you be reporting to your duties?"

The three who spoke tried to feign innocence.

Tsunayoshi continued on, "Daisy, have all weeds from the garden been plucked?"

"Um…Destroyed?" Daisy said.

"All of them?"

Daisy was unable to give a reply to that.

"Bluebell, have you vacuumed the halls?"

"It's still early in the morning!" Bluebell whined.

"Zakuro, have you prepared the ingredients for lunch?"

"It's coming along…" Zakuro replied, preparing to nap away.

"Kikyo…."

Kikyo, the house steward, looked at Tsuna and smiled as he held up a folder, filled with Zangetsu's schedule and his acquaintances' contact information.

"You're fine the way you are. Torikabuto..."

Tsuna peeked through the open door and saw that the bodyguard Torikabuto was hiding his presence as usual.

"He's fine the way he is. But the rest of you get to work!"

Zakuro, Bluebell, and Daisy ran out of the room, afraid to face Tsunayoshi's wrath of neglecting their work.

"Master Zangetsu, I will be leaving for school after cleaning up."

"I understand," Zangetsu replied, standing up. "Kikyo, let's go."

"O-ho. Understood, Zangetsu-san," Kikyo replied. "See you after school, Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna was a confusing child. When she's dressed as a male, you have to address her as 'Tsunayoshi.' As a female, call her 'Tsunahime'. Never 'Hime' as she claimed that it was a nickname that doesn't suit her. When you just want an opinion from someone, you can just address her as Tsuna.

After changing out of her butler clothes and shedding her butler persona, Tsuna dressed in her school uniform for Namimori Middle, which was a white button-up top, red-orange tie and dark navy blue pants. It was the summer male uniform, though it is getting chilly with fall coming up. She persuaded her mother to enter her middle school as a male. Although her mother was fine with her being a female delinquent of Karakura (girls need to learn how to protect themselves), she disliked her only child being hurt, so she went with Tsuna's request and entered her as a male, using the name 'Sawada Tsunayoshi'. Her breasts haven't grown out yet, so Tsuna's able to pass by as a male.

Walking out of the mansion, Tsuna went over to a mountain bike and rode it to school. After all, you can't ride a regular bike in the roads of a hill.

Tsuna rode to school, passing the head prefect, the head of the Disciplinary Committee, at the school gates, greeting him, and locked her bike at the bike rack. She and the head prefect, Hibari Kyouya, have a strange relationship, according to Hibari Kyouya.

One day, as a naive freshman who doesn't know about Kyouya's reputation, she came across Hibari Kyouya beating up some seniors for crowding around. Tsuna walked up to Kyouya, after he stopped beating up the seniors, and asked him what was wrong with crowding. Hibari Kyouya was surprised that a male freshman, short and feminine, had the courage to walk up to him and ask him something.

He answered, "Crowding is for herbivores and weaklings. If you crowd me, I'll bite you to death." He took out his tonfa to emphasize his last sentence.

The freshman blinked and replied, "But everyone's wearing the same thing, so I don't think anyone's an 'herbivore' or a weakling unless there's something different with what everyone wears."

Kyouya's eyes widen at her response, seeing that her words made some sense. But all the schools in Japan have a uniform policy, so wearing the same uniform is normal. "Anyone I bite to death is an herbivore," Kyouya snapped.

"Oh…I see. Then that means you're a carnivore?" the freshman asked. "Oh, yeah. My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi. You can call me Tsuna for short. What's yours, head prefect?"

"Hibari Kyouya," he replied. "Are you strong, Tsunayoshi? Weak?"

"Depends on your definition of strong," Tsunayoshi replied. The bell rang. "Oh. I have to get back to class. See ya around, Kyouya."

Kyouya felt intrigued by Tsunayoshi's personality and couldn't tell if the freshman was a carnivore in sheep's clothing or a stupid herbivore who didn't know the definition of fear. Since then, Kyouya sought out Tsunayoshi from a distance and observed him. To this day, Hibari Kyouya has yet to figure out whether Tsunayoshi is an herbivore or a carnivore.

Tsuna wished that she could just quit school and work at Zangetsu's place, but the master forbid her to quit school at such a young age and forced her to agree to work part time for him until she gets out of college and get a degree and finally work full time for him by then. To Tsuna, school was a boring place to be. Little did she know, she would miss these boring days.

_**Zangetsu's mansion**_

Zangetsu sat in a Japanese room, tea on a small desk nearby. The screen doors were open to a Zen garden.

*knock knock* the screen door to the hallway opened.

"O-ho. Excuse me, Zangetsu-sama. Nana-san called a while ago. She received a strange flyer in her mail this morning," Kikyo said, taking a paper that he wrote on during his phone call with Nana. "The flyer says, 'Gender or grades don't matter. Will tutor your child to be the leader of the generation.' It adds on with payment as a place to sleep and 3 meals a day."

"It does sound a little strange, but what's wrong with it?" Zangetsu asked. "Isn't it normal to receive an out of the norm advertisement?"

"Because that wasn't the strange thing, Boo!" Bluebell answered, coming in unannounced. "Nana-san asked her neighbors about the flyer, they said that they didn't receive a flyer like this either. Why someone put such a flyer at only her house is the real question."

"I can answer that," interrupted a high voice.

Zangetsu, Kikyo and Bluebell turned towards the Zen garden, where there was a baby in a suit with a chameleon on the baby's fedora.

"Ciaossu," the baby greeted them.

"Who are you!" Bluebell demanded. "How did you get into this mansion? BOO!"

She quickly stood in front of Zangetsu, in a fighting stance. Kikyo remained where he was, glaring at the baby.

"I used my bike and climbed over the wall," the baby calmly replied.

"BOO! Then answer the who!" Bluebell demanded.

"I'm Reborn, the home tutor," the baby answered, taking out a name card. "I'm the one who put that flyer in the Sawada family mailbox."

"Oho. Really? Why their house?" Kikyo asked.

"Kikyo, why don't you make some sweets for us? I'm sure this 'child' is tired from his trip of coming up here," Zangetsu intervened.

"Eh! Boo! Why! He snuck in here!" Bluebell whined.

"Because if my butler were here, that brat would serve this 'child' as a guest," Zangetsu explained.

"I understand, Master Zangetsu," Kikyo replied, bowing. "Bluebell, follow Zangetsu-san's orders."

"Eh? Why can't I stay here?" the blue haired girl whined.

"I'll be all right. After all, Torikabuto will be here with me," Zangetsu gestured to the statue-still man in the corner.

Bluebell hesitated before leaving the room with a last glance at Reborn. Kikyo closed the door behind him, following Bluebell out.

"I drink espresso!" Reborn called after them, entering the room finally.

Zangetsu never left his eyes off the baby. "Tell me. Who are you, really?"

"Are you Zangetsu, the Moon Fang of the Japanese underworld government," Reborn commented.

"So what of it? I've retired," Zangetsu replied.

"I understand that you're her teacher. Because of this, I can't step in and become her tutor, but I would like you to persuade her to become the tenth boss of the Vongola Family of Italy," Reborn said.

"Why Tsunahime?" Zangetsu asked.

"Her great-great-great-great-grandfather on her father's side was the first head of the family," Reborn explained, taking out a roughly-sketched family tree of Tsuna's. "He moved to Japan after he retired where he had children with a local woman."

"Ah, that explains why the brat's father is part-foreign," Zangetsu commented.

"So, will you persuade Sawada Tsunahime to become the tenth Donna?" Reborn asked.

"I refuse," Zangetsu responded. "She's still a brat who can't be contained. If she becomes your Donna, then the family's done for."

"Then why don't I be her tutor? You've retired, after all."

"Just because I've retired doesn't mean she's ready to be unleashed onto the world."

*knock knock* The door opened.

"Pardon me, Zangetsu-sama, Reborn-_san_," Bluebell said, bringing in a tray of sweets and a cup of espresso, saying 'san' with a hint of distaste.

Keeping eyes on the uninvited guest, Bluebell moved the desk to the middle of the room, next to Zangetsu, and put the sweets and espresso on the desk.

"Today's sweet is Black Forest Cake," Bluebell explained. "Tsuna made it and left it in the refrigerator before she left for school. Our dear guest, your coffee."

"Thank you, Bluebell," Zangetsu replied.

Reborn sipped the espresso. "Hm…the espresso's not bad."

"Thank you for your compliment," Bluebell said.

"Bluebell, would you allow me and my guest some privacy? We have a lot to talk about," Zangetsu said.

"Are you sure?" Bluebell asked, curiosity rising.

"Torikabuto is here. Nothing to worry about," Zangetsu added.

Bluebell glanced at the uninvited guest, to the bodyguard, and then back to the guest. "Excuse me. Call me when you need assistance," Bluebell said, leaving the room.

Kikyo, Daisy, who heard from Bluebell, and Zakuro, who was dragged here by the house steward, were crowding around the room.

"Well?" Zakuro asked.

"Zangetsu asked for privacy, boo," Bluebell said, losing the honorific out of the master's ears.

"Then let's call Tsuna-chan over," Daisy said, reaching for his cell phone.

Kikyo grabbed his hand. "O-ho. You can't do that. She's probably in her third class. Wait for a little while and it'll be lunch. It's better if we text her."

"Okay then. 'We've got a baby who may be a potential killer because Kikyo didn't stop him.' Send," Zakuro texted in his cell phone. Kikyo slapped his head.

"O-ho. You shouldn't have sent her that kind of text, otherwise she won't understand," Kikyo said, taking out his cell. "'What Zakuro means is there was a trespasser on the grounds and none of us didn't even notice him. Now Zangetsu just asked for privacy with that trespasser. What should we do?' Send. That's the kind of text message she'll understand."

"Nuh-uh. This is the kind of text message she'll understand," Bluebell claimed. "'This scary baby showed up and we didn't even notice him until he said something. Zangetsu's inside with Torikabuto, but he won't let us in. BOO' Send."

"I think Tsuna-chan would understand with this message," Daisy said, texting in his cell. "'Not much has been going between Zangetsu and the trespasser, but Zangetsu allowed him entry, so we can't do kill him. Tsuna-chan, help.' Send."

"Boo! There's no way that Tsuna-chan would understand your message. She'll understand mine!" Bluebell bragged.

"No way. She'll understand mine because yours was going round in circles," Zakuro replied.

"Then we'll ask Tsuna-chan whose message she understand most when she gets here," Kikyo said.

_**Inside**_

Zangetsu and Reborn heard the conversation from inside since the Japanese screen doors don't do much in muffling sounds.

"You sure have a rowdy staff," Reborn commented.

"It was not me who picked them. My idiot butler picked them when she was a child, saying that they're the only ones who can fill in the roles she picked out for them," Zangetsu explained. "We had a huge argument, made a bet whether or not to let them stay. She won and since then, they've been here."

"So she picked them, huh," Reborn repeated.

Zangetsu said, "You may overlook the lessons I teach. She may have mastered most of the skills I've taught her, but she's still a brat."

"Really? Well, whether you decide yes or no, I'm sticking with her and teach her how to become a mafia boss," Reborn replied.

"One more thing," Zangetsu added.

"What's that?"

"Be present at all meal times for her mother."

"What do you mean?"

"Since that child started working here, she found less time to be with her mother, no matter how much I urge the others to lessen the workload for her," Zangetsu explained. "Because of this, they rarely have meal times together, so you, as a gentleman from Italy, cannot leave a lady by her lonesome when dining."

"Of course I won't. After all, payment is supposed to be 3 meals a day," Reborn agreed.

"Kikyo!" Zangetsu called out.

"Hai, Zangetsu-san?" Kikyo replied, coming into the room.

"Prepare a room for our guest. He will be resting here for a night," Zangetsu said.

"What! Why!" Bluebell cried as she and the other two looked in.

"Then call Sawada Nana and tell her that she'll be receiving a guest, an associate of her husband's, tomorrow who'll be resting at her house for however long he'll like," Zangetsu added.

"O-ho. An associate of Nana-san's husband?" Kikyo repeated. "All right. Everyone, let's all get to work. If Tsuna-chan finds out about this, we'd all be scolded. I'll send a text to tell her not to worry."

"Okay," Bluebell replied, leaving the hallway.

The other two went back to their work.

"What was that?" Reborn asked, after the door closed, signaling Kikyo's leaving.

"Tsunahime doesn't hold her father in high regards because he 'supposedly' went up to the stars," Zangetsu explained. "That was what was told to her by her mother. Tsunahime thinks that it was something romantic to her parents and went along with it, but she doesn't like the fact that they're both hiding secrets from each other and that she has to play secret keeper. The others know of it and sided with her."

"I see…" Reborn replied. "Wait, then that means her mother's hiding something?"

"You only heard that from everything I've just said?"

Reborn analyzed Zangetsu's words and figured it out. "You mean, Tsunahime already knows that Iemitsu's in the mafia?"

"Probably. She is, after all, my cocky student," Zangetsu replied.

"Then that just makes things easier," Reborn said.

"You're just as cocky as that idiot brat is," Zangetsu commented. "With the way Tsunahime's idiot father kept her in the dark, she'll probably refuse."

"Well, I guess I can agree with that," Reborn said. "So I'll just persuade her."

"That'd be impossible, too," Zangetsu replied. "If she could be easily this persuaded, then she wouldn't be this hard-headed."

_**Lunchtime at school**_

Tsuna made her way up to the school roof with her lunch in hand. Her mother had dropped off her lunch at the main office earlier. Enjoying the gentle breeze, she sat down. The door opened, capturing Tsuna's attention.

"The roof is off-limits to students," Kyouya said.

"But you're here, too," Tsuna replied.

"I'm the head of the Disciplinary Committee. It's different."

"I see. Why won't you join me? My mom made a lot."

"Fine," Kyouya replied. He sat next to her.

"Here you go," Tsuna said, handing him some rolled up eggs in a napkin.

Kyouya took a bite. "Your mother's cooking is delicious."

"Feel free to come to our house for a free meal," Tsuna replied. "Mom would be happy at that."

"Why won't you go stay with her? It's your house, after all," Kyouya asked.

"Because I'm busy taking care of Master Zangetsu," Tsuna replied, taking out her cell phone. "See, this is a picture of him I took."

Kyouya looked at the cell phone and saw a picture of an old man with shaggy hair. He noticed that there were unread messages.

"You have unread messages on your phone, Sawada Tsunayoshi," Kyoya said.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I put my phone on vibrate and didn't notice it," Tsuna replied, taking her phone back. "Huh? Five text messages? 'We've got a baby who may be a potential killer because Kikyo didn't stop him.' Zakuro. ''What Zakuro means is there was a trespasser on the grounds and none of us didn't even notice him. Now Zangetsu just asked for privacy with that trespasser. What should we do?' Kikyo. 'This scary baby showed up and we didn't even notice him until he said something. Zangetsu's inside with Torikabuto, but he won't let us in. BOO' Bluebell. ''Not much has been going between Zangetsu and the trespasser, but Zangetsu allowed him entry, so we can't do anything. Tsuna-chan, help.' Daisy. 'Zangetsu just allowed the trespasser into his mansion and he's staying for a night. It seems that he's an associate of your father's.' Kikyo."

"What's going on?" Kyouya asked.

"Master Zangetsu has an uninvited guest," Tsuna replied. "And that guest is an associate's of my father's."

"You don't like your father?" Kyouya asked.

"I don't know. I hate him for keeping secrets from Mom, but Mom's doing the same, so I can't really hate him for that," Tsuna explained. "I guess I don't like the fact that everyone's keeping secrets."

Kyouya remained silent and continued to eat lunch.

"Eh! Hey! You ate everything!" Tsuna cried. "I only got a couple bites!"

"What are you talking about? You allowed me to have some," Kyouya replied.

"I didn't mean everything!"

With that, Tsuna went back to class on an empty stomach.

_**After School**_

Tsuna zoomed into Zangetsu's mansion, changed into her butler uniform and greeted Zakuro, passing by the kitchen.

"Hello, Zakuro," Tsunayoshi greeted him.

"Welcome back, Tsuna," Zakuro replied. "I made some scrambled eggs. They're not burnt like last time."

"Hmm. thank you," Tsuna replied. "I didn't get to eat Mom's lunch because I gave it all to Kyouya."

"'Kyouya'?" Zakuro repeated.

"Hmm? I never told you. Kyouya's the head prefect of the Disciplinary Committee," Tsuna explained. "We're good friends."

"Really?"

"Tsuna-chan! Welcome back!" Daisy said, coming into the kitchen.

"Hey, Daisy," Tsuna greeted.

"There's a strange guest that Kikyo didn't notice! Zangetsu said that he's a friend of your dad's. Is it true?" Daisy asked.

"Probably," Tsuna answered.

"He also said that he wants a room prepared for that intruder," Kikyo said, coming into the kitchen with Bluebell.

"Welcome back, Tsuna-chan!" Bluebell glomped Tsuna. "I'm back, Bluebell."

"Hey, don't just jump on Tsuna-chan the moment you see her," Zakuro scolded.

"Shut up! You're just jealous that you can't do the same!" Bluebell cried, sticking her tongue at Zakuro.

"What!" Zakuro replied.

"Where is the guest?" Tsunayoshi asked Kikyo.

"He's in Zangetsu's office," Kikyo answered.

"Thank you," Tsunayoshi replied, leaving the kitchen.

"Ah! Tsuna-chan, should we really take care of that guest?" Daisy asked.

"Of course we should," Tsunayoshi replied. "After all, it's our master's decision to take care of that guest."

"Okay…" Daisy replied as Bluebell and Zakuro argued.

"Wait! Tsuna-chan just left?" Bluebell cried.

"Yeah…" Daisy replied.

"No way! I wanted to ask her whose text message she understood!" Bluebell whined.

"It's better if we ask her tonight," Kikyo said. "After all, we have a guest in the house, even if they did trespass."

*knock knock* The teenage butler politely knocked on Zangetsu's office door before entering. Zangetsu's office was an English-styled room. Since Zangetsu's an old-fashioned man, there weren't much modern items.

"Master Zangetsu, I've been told that you will be having a guest today," Tsunayoshi said.

"Ciaossu, I am Reborn, your home tutor," a baby greeted, sitting on a chair across from Zangetsu's desk.

"He's lying; he's not your home tutor," Zangetsu said. "This is my idiot butler."

"An idiot butler? Is that how you think of me, Master Zangetsu?" Tsunayoshi replied. "Do forgive me of my stupidity, then."

Turning to Reborn, "Reborn-san, I am pleased to meet you and am honored to have you resting in our house, even for a night. Your room has been prepared. Would you like to rest there now?" Tsunayoshi replied.

"Sure," Reborn said.

"We'll talk later," Zangetsu added.

"Come with me," Tsunayoshi said, leaving the room as Reborn followed after.

Tsunayoshi lead Reborn to his guest room. Reborn looked around. It was an English room that's big enough to be called a master bedroom in a normal-sized house. There was a fireplace, with some firewood next to the grate; some pictures were placed above the fireplace; the bed was a queen-sized bed; a crystal chandler hung above; a small round table with chairs sat near the large curtain-covered window.

"If there's anything not to your liking, then please tell me and I shall quickly correct it," Tsunayoshi said.

"Thank you," Reborn replied, taking out a suitcase. "I was lying back at the office. I'm not going to be your home tutor with the Moon Fang around. I was sent by someone I have very high respect for to train you into a mafia boss."

"I decline," the teenage butler responded without hesitation.

"You can't decline," Reborn replied, pulling out a rifle out of his suitcase. "It's not a matter of whether you want to or not. You can't escape your destiny."

"Then I'll give up my claim to the seat of the mafia boss and run away to a place where you can't find me if you continue to pursue me," Tsunayoshi said calmly.

"There is no place where you can hide," Reborn claimed, glaring.

"Wanna bet?"

Reborn and Tsunayoshi glared a bit before Tsuna broke contact. "Unfortunately, I have other duties I must see to."

"See you later then," Reborn added.

At that, Tsunayoshi left the room and went to clean the many rooms of the mansion.

Reborn frowned after the butler left. _'If that brat is still staying here, then it'd be harder to train her into the Donna_.'

_**A few hours later**_

Reborn evaluated all the papers, regarding the staff: their past, where they lived before being employed at Zangetsu's mansion, how they met Tsuna, which is not in the list, much to his dislike.

*knock knock* "Reborn-san, dinner is ready. Please come out and allow me to escort you to the dining room," the teenage butler called out in his room.

Feeling his stomach growl, Reborn hopped off the chair, which had cushions to amplify his height to reach up to the small table.

"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted.

"Follow me," Tsunayoshi said.

Reborn followed her into the dining room.

"Tonight's dinner is roast beef," Tsunayoshi announced. "We hope that Reborn-san would enjoy tonight's dinner."

"I can eat anything. After all, payment for being a home tutor is 3 meals a day," Reborn replied, sitting in his chair with cushions maximizing his height to reach the table.

"Thank you, Reborn-san," Tsunayoshi replied, placing dinner in front of Zangetsu and Reborn. "Since Italy is mostly used to coffee beverages, I hope that Reborn-san would be pleased with our handmade espresso."

"Handmade?"

"We hand picked the coffee beans, roasted them, and prepared them," Tsuna explained. "We had our friend, who specializes in importing spices, fruits, and such, to send us the highest quality of coffee beans. If someone working for Master Zangetsu couldn't do such a thing, then where would we be? Something like making coffee from scratch is nothing."

"I see. That means if it tastes horrible, I know who to blame," Reborn smirked.

"Please enjoy," Tsunayoshi replied, placing a cup of espresso next to Reborn's and Zangetsu's dinners.

Reborn took a sip of the espresso. "Hmm. Better then this afternoon's. I could drink espresso like this every day."

"It's a bit strong for my taste," Zangetsu commented. "Then again, I'm more used to tea. Since I'm no expert on coffee, I'll congratulate you and the chef on making the coffee from scratch."

"Yes, I'll be sure to give the compliments," Tsunayoshi replied, bowing. "I'll be back with dessert." At that, Tsunayoshi left the dining room through a pair of double doors, which Reborn assumed led to the kitchen.

"So, what do you think of my butler?" Zangetsu asked, digging into his dinner.

"You're right about her being a child," Reborn replied, taking a bite of his roast beef. "The espresso's delicious. She seems to be talented and well trained in everything she does. All I wonder is why does she waste her time like this on you?"

"That's somewhat of a personal question you'll have to ask her. Did you tell her the true reason why you're here?"

"I did and you're right; she did reject it. It'll be harder to persuade her."

"It's been hard to persuade her of anything from the moment I took her in."

"I guess this just means we'll have a long time before she becomes Donna."

"What are you going to do while you're here?"

"I'm going to evaluate her and have her gather members who'll follow behind her as the tenth Donna of the Vongola Family. You can just remain teaching her whatever it is you're teaching her."

"Well, as my butler, she's already recruited five people, including one who'll die as soon as his role ends," Zangetsu commented. "How many people does she need?"

"As many as I'll like," Reborn replied. "As to the five people she's gathered, I have yet to evaluate them. If they won't meet _my_ expectations, they'll be on the cutting block."

"I tried that and their hides were saved by that butler of a demon of mine."

"Not if I can help it," Reborn smirked. "After all, I am the demon tutor."

"Then I'll have to see if you can compare to that 'one hell of a butler' of mine. If you can put even one of those on my staff on the chopping block in 6 months, I'll allow you to tutor Tsunahime for the reminder of those 6 months and an additional 2 months."

"It's on."

_**After dinner**_

Reborn was waiting for a mini-snack of the dessert he ate earlier. The Japanese dessert of apricot and green tea millefeuille captured his taste buds and Reborn decided to have some more before going to bed. Reborn then noticed the fireplace in his room. Well, it is a bit chilly compared to Italy.

Tsunayoshi knocked on the door to the guest room. "Reborn-san, I've brought some millefeuille that you liked. I hope that it's still to your taste. Please enjoy."

Reborn dug into the dessert. "While I'm here, may I light a fire? After all, Japan must be a little chilly compared to Italy, even before summer."

"Sure," Reborn replied. "I've always wanted to try using a fireplace to keep warm."

"I understand," the teenage butler said, bowing.

Tsunayoshi put the firewood in the fireplace, lit some old newspapers and placed it on top of the logs, and, after deeming the fire growing, she left the grate in front of the fireplace, so it won't spread to the outside. The teenage butler did all that in less than five minutes.

Reborn was impressed, highly impressed. Seems like the Moon Fang did more than just train her well.

Then the clock gonged nine times.

"Oh, dear. Is that the time?" Tsunayoshi wondered out loud. "Please excuse me. I have to prepare Master Zangetsu's tea. If you need anything else, just press this button, and Kikyo will tend to your needs."

"No worries," Reborn replied.

After Tsunayoshi left the room, Reborn pressed the button. After a few minutes, Kikyo came into the room.

"Yes, Reborn-san?" Kikyo asked.

"I'm finished with my dessert," Reborn replied. "Now I want espresso."

"I understand," Kikyo replied. "I'll bring back some espresso."

Kikyo cleaned up the small table and left the room. Later, he came back with a cup of espresso.

Tsunayoshi, in the kitchen, already had a kettle of tea boiling on the stove. She turned off the stove, poured a cup, and put the cup on a tray. Tsunayoshi took the tray and left the kitchen.

Inside Zangetsu's room, Tsunayoshi waited for the green tea leaves to sink into the teacup of hot water. Zangetsu's putting himself in the bed in the English-styled bedroom. The Japanese-styled room was actually its closet. Tsuna herself wondered why Zangetsu would want to sleep inside a closet, but figured it best to be left a mystery.

"My tea," Zangetsu called out.

"Of course, Master Zangetsu," Tsunayoshi replied, bringing him the cup of tea.

Zangetsu inhaled the aroma and sipped the green tea.

"Master Zangetsu, may I ask a question?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Fire away," Zangetsu responded.

"Are you really going to let me have a tutor other than you?" Tsuna asked, shedding her butler persona.

"Hmm? Aren't you lonely just looking after me?" Zangetsu replied.

"Of course not. You of all people should know that," Tsuna snapped.

"Don't be too agitated, brat. You are still my student and the butler who works here out of your own will. Of course there is no way that I'll have you learn under another person's hand. And besides, sometimes the student gets to choose who they want to learn from."

Zangetsu's last line calmed Tsuna down. Putting on her butler persona, Tsuna bowed deeply on one knee. "Of course, my master."

"Good. Now that you understand, I'll retire for the night," Zangetsu said, putting the now empty cup on the bedside table.

"Sleep well, Master Zangetsu," Tsunayoshi replied. She took the empty cup, placed it on the tray, and left the room before turning off the lights.

Tsunayoshi went back to the kitchen and washed the tea cup. Her mother is, no doubt, sleeping in Namimori, where she lives in a house. Tsuna felt guilty having her mother live all by herself in the house. Nana wouldn't come and live at Zangetsu's estate with Tsuna because she's waiting for Tsuna's dad to come back for her.

According to her mother, two years ago, he went up to the stars. Tsuna thought he went up to heaven, but her mother wouldn't say that so calmly, so she assumed that her bad excuse of a father must have persuaded Nana to say strange things like that under the impression that they were romantic. Her absent father and her mother were the lovey-dovey type, the type that she'll never understand why they act like that. And why they wouldn't come clean about their dark sides was also beyond her.

_**Morning**_

Tsunayoshi knocked on the guest room and entered. She saw the baby under the covers with his eyes open and a snot bubble out of his nose. It popped as she pulled away the curtains on the room.

"Good morning, Reborn-san," Tsunayoshi greeted. "I hope our hospitality was to your good favor. Breakfast will be held in the dining room in an hour. If you need anything, just press the button."

Reborn sat up and replied, "Sure."

Reborn went to the dining room where Zangetsu was already sitting at the head of the table. Tsunayoshi entered the dining room and placed breakfast in front of the two.

"Today's breakfast is an egg, sunny side up, sausages, lettuce, cut-up cherry tomatoes, and miso soup," Tsunayoshi explained. "We hope that breakfast is in Reborn-san's liking. We thought an ordinary Japanese breakfast will satisfy Reborn-san's tastes."

"Tell the cook thank you," Reborn replied curtly.

"Understood," Tsunayoshi replied, bowing. "Please excuse me. I must go to my other duties that'll make me absent from the mansion. If you need anything, please call on Kikyo or Bluebell."

"All right," Zangetsu said.

"Sure," Reborn responded.

Tsunayoshi bowed and left the room.

"This afternoon, you'll be with Nana and be residing at her home, correct?" Zangetsu asked.

"Actually tomorrow afternoon. I'll also be accompanying Tsuna to school, starting now," Reborn cramped the rest of breakfast into his mouth and left the building.

"He's gone now, everyone," Zangetsu said out loud.

Then, Daisy, Bluebell, and Zakuro fell out from behind the door that connected the kitchen and the dining room.

"So that means he'll never come back here?" Bluebell asked, getting out of the dog pile.

"Actually, as long as Tsuna's still here, he'll remain here," Kikyo said.

"Wait! That means he'll be here forever?" Daisy and Bluebell exclaimed.

"Apparently," Zakuro commented.

"I don't want him here!" Bluebell complained. "He's too nosy! When I was cleaning the pool, I practically felt his binoculars staring at me!"

"I had to destroy the entire garden to suppress myself from going up to his guest room and murder him," Daisy added.

"It can't be helped," Kikyo replied, cleaning up the dishes on the table. "He is, after all, a guest and one of Tsuna's father's associates."

"So you're saying that he's being nosy, just to report to Tsuna-chan's dad that she's being taken care of?" Zakuro asked.

"Perhaps," Kikyo replied. "But he did mention that he wanted to tutor Tsuna."

All heads but Torikabuto's turned to the master of the house.

"That brat would rather I die than learn from another teacher about fighting in the underworld," Zangetsu explained.

"Yay!" Bluebell and Daisy cheered.

"Good. But that means we have to put up with that nosy hitman," Zakuro whined.

"We'll survive," Kikyo assured everyone. "After all, he can't be harder than Master Zangetsu, right?"

"Reborn has the reputation of being the demon tutor, even tutoring one of the now powerful mafia head, the Cavallone family," Zangetsu explained. "I'm sure he'll be as hard as this house's head butler, seeing as he has the reputation as 'one hell of a butler.'"

Daisy, Bluebell and Zakuro sweatdropped.

"Well then, I suppose everyone needs to get back to work," Kikyo said. "Now get!"

All those ordered left the room and went to their designated area of work.

"I'll be in my office," Zangetsu said.

"Of course, Master Zangetsu," Kikyo replied, bowing.

_**School**_

Meanwhile, Tsuna was mulling over Reborn's appearance on her way to school. She's walking with her bike since there's plenty of time. Her mom only mentioned that she had a strange flyer; nothing about her father appearing. The fact that he wanted to be her tutor just plain outright annoyed her. Reborn already knows that Zangetsu's her tutor, yet he wants her to be his student. It just means that he thinks there's something wrong with Zangetsu's teachings.

"I'd rather have Zangetsu disappear into thin air than have Reborn tutor me," Tsuna muttered to herself.

"I don't know how to arrange that, but I'm sure Zangetsu and I can compromise that," replied a voice on her head.

Tsuna looked up and saw that baby. "Is there a reason why you're on my head?"

"Because your head's comfy," Reborn replied.

"Then…is there a reason why the Ninth wants me to be his heir even though he has a son?" Tsuna asked.

"How'd you know that? It's classified information," Reborn replied, a gun in his soon-to-be student's face.

"When you get taught on blackmailing, bribing, and drug dealing, you also learn how to make someone disappear for a while and pretend to be that person right on the spot," Tsuna answered. "Which means I snuck into the Vongola mansion in all its chaos when I heard that there was a coup eight years ago. I thought Iemitsu, I mean Dad, was part of the chaos and went to the mansion after the coup ended. I heard that the son of the Ninth disappeared, among other things. So, care to explain?"

Reborn thought about it a little before answering. "The Ninth's son had gone against the Family in that incident eight years ago. All the other candidates had died due to accidents before we decided on you."

"Not that I'm glad about being last choice, but why chose someone who 'supposedly' doesn't know about the family than someone who already knows about the family, say the Ninth's closest friend's son?"

"The Head of the family has to be of blood relation, that's why we can't choose someone outside the family blood line."

"So even if they're children of the head's concubine, they count as candidate to be the heir?" Up ahead, Tsuna saw a female classmate of hers, the school idol, Sasagawa Kyoko, who looked as if she was being harassed by a male upperclassman, Mochida, the captain of the kendo team.

"Actually, that's the exact reason why sexual affairs are forbidden."

"Aaaannnnndddd, that's why public displays of affection are not permitted by the cheating guy and the female!" Tsuna shouted, capturing the twos' attention. "Oh, you guys heard that. I'm so sorry. I tend to be wrapped up in my tutor's lessons, especially on the parts with forbidden affairs, just like what you're doing right now, Upperclassman."

"What! I'm not cheating on anyone," denied Mochida.

"Says the guy who was seen making out with a freshman chick in a dark alley a week ago," Tsuna replied. She looked behind the two and saw the gate. "Hey, Hibari Kyouya. Is it forbidden for third years to date first years?"

Hibari Kyouya appeared from behind the gates. "Dating is strictly forbidden, according to school rules."

"That's why our popular school idol is with me, her classmate, and not the flirty upperclassman who's seeing girls left and right," Tsuna said, taking Kyoko through the gates with her.

"Eh! Wait! Kyoko!" Mochida called after.

"Public displays of affection, and bothering the peace of our school, I'll bite you to death," Kyouya said, stopping him.

Tsuna and Kyoko only heard the sounds of Mochida getting beat up by Kyouya.

"Ano, thank you very much…" Kyoko said, trailing off because she doesn't know Tsuna's name.

"Oh, my name's Sawada Tsunayoshi," Tsuna replied. "I'm in your class."

"Eh? You are?"

"Yeah, but I don't stand out very much, so it's understandable that we've never talked."

"But still, I've never noticed you…"

"Like I said, we've never really talked much and I've never tried to stand out. And besides, I'm always up at the rooftop."

"The rooftop is forbidden for students to enter unless you're part of the Disciplinary Committee," Kyouya said, butting into the conversation.

"Hey, Kyouya. Mochida-sempai disciplined yet?" Tsuna greeted the guy.

"Of course, that herbivore was bitten to death," Kyouya replied.

"And that's the reason why I'm able to go up to the rooftop, Kyoko," Tsuna said. "Ah! You don't mind me calling you 'Kyoko,' right?"

"Oh, no. I don't mind as long as I get to call you 'Tsuna-kun,'" Kyoko replied.

"Thanks."

"Now get to class before I bite you to death."

"Hai, hai, head prefect. Come on, Kyoko. Let's go. I see your friend, Hana Kurokawa. Kurokawa!" Tsuna took Kyoko's hand and went up to Kyoko's mature friend.

"Yes? Ah! Kyoko?" Hana said, seeing Tsuna and Kyoko.

Tsuna presented Kyoko to Hana. "Please keep our idol safe, Hana. Mochida, the kendo captain, almost tainted her."

"Mochida, the kendo captain?" Hana repeated. "Why did you get my dear friend from his clutches?"

"Well, it was actually because he kept asking me to go on a date with him, even though I refused. Tsuna-kun interfered and got Hibari-sempai to discipline him," Kyoko explained.

"Oh! There's no more time left!" Tsuna noticed. "I have to put my bike on the rack. Please tell the teacher that I'll be a little late."

"Oh, all right. It's the least I can do since you rescued my friend," Hana replied.

Hana took Kyoko to class and Tsuna locked her bike at the bike rack.

_**Lunchtime**_

"Tsuna-kun, why don't we eat lunch together?" Kyoko asked Tsuna.

Tsuna looked up to Kyoko and Hana holding their lunch boxes. Kyoko's fan boys either glared at Tsuna or whined about why they weren't the ones being asked to eat lunch with.

"Oh, sure. I'd love to," Tsuna answered.

"Good, then where should we eat?" Kyoko wondered.

"I usually go up to the roof and share lunch with Kyouya," Tsuna said.

"You're friends with our scary Disciplinary Committee prefect?" Hana asked.

"I would say yes, but Kyouya wouldn't," Tsuna replied.

"Well, I guess he wouldn't just up and say that he's friends with someone outside the Disciplinary Committee," Hana commented. "But I don't think it'll be safe."

"I'd love to share lunch with Hibari-sempai," Kyoko said.

"Kyoko, are you listening to me?"

"Let's go up, then," Tsuna said.

_**Rooftop**_

Tsuna opened the door. "Hey, Kyouya, we have some visitors with us today!"

Kyouya sat up and looked at the intruders, Tsuna included. "Those who disturb my nap…will be bitten to death," Kyouya announced, taking out a tonfa.

"I told you it wouldn't be safe," Hana muttered.

"Having a nap and suddenly moving isn't good, Kyouya," Tsuna advised him, taking a seat next to him. "Furthermore, it's lunch time now and it's a nice day out. Come on, girls. I'll make sure that he won't bite you."

"Hmm…all right. You did protect Kyoko from Mochida, after all," Hana replied, taking a seat next to Tsuna, but away from Kyouya.

"I'll sit between you two, then," Kyoko said, sitting between Hana and Tsuna.

"In exchange of them eating lunch here, give me your bento, Sawada Tsunayoshi," Kyouya demanded.

"Hey! If you do that, I'll be starving throughout the rest of the day!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"It's okay, Tsuna-kun. I'll share some of my lunch with you," Kyoko said.

"I'll share some of mine, too," Hana added.

"Oh, okay then." Tsuna passed her bento to Kyouya and took out some napkins. "Good thing I always keep some tissues with me."

"Here." Hana put some food from her bento onto some napkins.

"Here's some more," Kyoko added, passing her food onto the tissues.

"Thank you, girls," Tsuna replied. Before she could get a bite in, the door opened once again. The newcomers, some boys, looked at the group and cowered at the sight of Kyouya.

"What are you doing here?" Kyouya asked. "If you're just crowding, I'll bite you to death."

"U-um, Mo-mochida-sempai wants Sawada, in the gym," one of the boys said.

"Ah, yes. A match between you and that kendo herbivore," Kyouya said.

"What, Kyouya?" Tsuna asked.

"That kendo herbivore asked for a match between you and him," Kyouya explained. "I approved it because I've always wanted to see how you fight."

"Wait, why would they need to see you?" Tsuna asked.

"Because that herbivore wanted to have the match a school event," Kyouya explained, leaving the roof with Tsuna's bento.

"And you approved that, too? And I thought we were….we're not friends, so what word should I use?"

"U-um…Mochida-sempai is waiting for you at the school gym," the same boy said.

"Okay, I'm coming."

"Why would Mochida ask for a match?" Hana asked, following the boys and Tsuna, with Kyoko.

"Mochida-sempai said something about ruining his reputation and tainting Kyoko," one of the boys replied. "So don't worry, Sasagawa-san. He'll protect you."

"But Tsuna-kun was the one who helped me," Kyoko argued.

"I'll need to find the whole story," Hana said. "Let's watch the match and see how it goes."

"Will Tsuna-kun be all right?" Kyoko asked.

"Well, Hibari-sempai did say that he's always wanted to see him fight, so even I can't guarantee what's the outcome," Hana replied.

_**Gym**_

"There's already people here?" Tsuna said out loud, see the gym half-filled.

As she walked up to where Mochida was, decked in kendo gear, she heard people talking: "You know, I heard that Sawada took Kyoko away from Mochida and had Hibari-san beat him up." "How dare that jerk taint Kyoko when Mochida was around!"

"You mean, Mochida spread around a rumor that he was protecting Kyoko from Sawada?" Hana asked, talking to a friend from class.

"Yup, Mochida's fighting for you, Kyoko!" that friend said.

"But it was Tsuna-kun who protected me," Kyoko argued.

"There you are, you little piece of shit!" Mochida hollered. "You may have fooled Kyoko and everyone else, but you can't fool me! How dare you accuse me of cheating, you nobody! It's an easy duel so a novice like you can understand. If you can get one Ippon off me, then you win! If you can't, then I win! The prize is Kyoko!"

"Prize!" Kyoko and Hana exclaimed.

"What a jerk! Looks like he spread around that rumor just to get back at Tsuna," Hana said.

"I have to stop the match," Kyoko said, but was stopped by her friends.

'_No matter what, I'll be the victor of this match,'_ Mochida thought. _'The armor and shinai that's for Sawada are heavy enough that two guys could barely carry them. The ref is on my side, so he won't raise Sawada's flag no matter what. Furthermore, if I beat him up, Kyoko's mine and I'll be the good guy!'_ Mochida came out of his mind when there was a flick on his forehead.

"You done daydreaming?" Tsuna asked, bored, swinging the heavy shinai over her shoulder.

"How dare you attack me before our match!" Mochida bellowed, nursing his hurt forehead.

"You were the one who wanted this match, so how can you say that?" Tsuna asked.

"Because you're not part of the kendo club!"

"So I have to be part of the kendo club in order to say that I know kendo?"

"Of cour- What!"

"My sensei is a hardcore swordsman who trains me to the bone," Tsuna explained. "I didn't join any afterschool clubs because his lessons take up a lot of my time."

"Th-then that changes everything!" Mochida yelled. "You and I will need to get five points to win!"

"Does this mean we have to do this after school?"

"No, you won't because everyone is excused from classes for this event," Kyouya explained, butting into the conversation. "For this event, the afternoon classes are canceled."

"That sucks…Wait! If we finish the match before school is normally over, that means everyone can go home?"

"Yes."

"Then, let's start the match!"

"You're not the one who wants the match, so you can't say that!" Mochida hollered.

"But I have to take care of my sensei."

"No excuses!"

Later, the ref started the match.

Mochida charged at Tsuna, which she dodged.

"Rule number 1 in fighting, never charge at your opponent unless they're charging at you," Tsuna said.

"Shut up!" Mochida replied, aiming for her head.

Tsuna deflected it and attacked Mochida, clearly getting an Ippon. Tsuna looked at the ref, but he didn't raise the flag.

"Hey, I got an Ippon," Tsuna said.

"I didn't see it," the ref replied.

Tsuna dodged another one of Mochida's attacks. "Really?"

Mochida turned to attack Tsuna again, but Tsuna locked him in her stare. With his guard down, Mochida was beaten down by Tsuna and was knocked unconscious as his head made impact with the floor from the weight of Tsuna's shinai.

"What? I only hit you a little and you've already fainted," Tsuna said in disbelief. "And to think he's the kendo captain…"

"Wi-winner is Sawada!" the ref cried, raising the flag.

"School's over!" Tsuna shouted, punching the air with a fist. People crowded around her to congratulate her.

"That was so incredible, Sawada!" "I never knew you know kendo!" "Why didn't you join the kendo club?" went about her.

"Stop crowding, or I'll bite you to death," Kyouya said.

The crowd quickly went out of Kyouya's way and stuck themselves to the gymnasium's walls. Even if Tsuna could beat up the kendo captain, there was no way that he could beat up Hibari-sempai, the scary prefect who wouldn't hesitate in beating down someone.

"So you've been hiding your strength all this time…" Kyouya said, sizing up Tsuna.

"Well, my sensei did tell me not to get into any more fights because I would trouble him with my fights from grade school," Tsuna explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Back in grade school, there were a lot of middle school and the occasional high school punks who wanted to beat me up because of my small structure. I beat them up instead. Because I always show up at sensei's house injured, he got annoyed and told me not to get into any more fights."

"I see. That's why I couldn't tell if you were strong or weak."

"If that's all you need, then I'll leave. School's out, after all."

Tsuna zoomed past him before he could get a word in edgewise. The prefect's mood pummeled. Then Tsuna came back into the gymnasium. She headed towards where Hana and Kyoko were.

"Thank you so much for sharing your bentos with me," Tsuna said to them. "I'll be sure to repay you ladies tomorrow at lunch."

"Such a gentleman," Hana commented.

"Great job on winning the match, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko said.

"Thank you," Tsuna replied. "Now if you'll excuse me…" Tsuna left the gymnasium for good.

Kyouya saw the interaction and turned to the rest of the kendo club. The kendo club trembled in fear.

"For betting that the school will be off for the rest of the day and losing, I'll bite you all to death."

The spectators, including Kyoko and Hana, ran out of the gymnasium as screams and cries of the kendo club erupted.

Reborn saw the match and pondered about Tsuna's grade school days. He remembered that there were some school records of Tsuna getting into trouble with students from middle schools. Reborn was sure that if Tsuna was his student, then there was no way that he would allow Tsuna to lose.

_**Zangetsu's mansion**_

"I'm here!" Tsunayoshi announced in her male voice as she walked into the kitchen.

Blue and dark green wrapped their arms around Tsuna before she could react.

"Tsuna!" Bluebell and Daisy cried.

Tsuna looked shocked at the two clutching her. "Bluebell, I'd understand, but Daisy? Since when do you glomp me?"

"Since that friend of your dad's started messing with the flowers I've been taking care of."

"Messing with?"

_**Reborn**_

Reborn placed another spy camera in a tree on the east wing's garden. In order to cover grounds on the mansion, Reborn has planted spy cameras in some parts of the garden that Daisy tends to, some parts of the rooms in the mansion. He was forced to not put any spy cameras in Zangetsu's bedroom, office and the Zen room he frequents.

"Excuse me?" Tsuna's voice rang out from below him.

Reborn looked down from the tree branch he was on and saw Tsunayoshi carrying a heavy-liking duffle bag.

Tsuna began, "Listen, I don't mind you being around grounds like this, but…" Tsuna unzipped the duffle bag and flipped it over. Reborn's eyebrows rose to his hairline as the spy cameras he was sure that he had hidden in their places spilled on the ground. "There is no way that I would allow you invading everyone's privacy like this, even with master Zangetsu's permission."

"How in the world did you get all of my cameras?" Reborn asked. "I was pretty sure that they were all well hidden."

"This just means that Master Zangetsu has trained me well," Tsunayoshi replied.

"Well, this just means that there's less things to teach you about the ways of the mafia."

That comment irked Tsuna. Then she thought about her childhood. "Tell me…If I wasn't here, what would the Vongola do?"

"Look for you, even if it means searching to the ends of the world."

"I meant, if I wasn't alive." That question shock Reborn off guard. "What would the Vongola do?"

Reborn hesitated before answering, "Your father…would probably persuade your mother to conceive another child."

Silence took over the scene. Finally Tsunayoshi had a sad smile on her face. She turned around. "Please don't do things like this again. It throws off everyone's balance if you do this. If you really wish to know what everyone does around this mansion, then I'll require everyone to make a report of their days. This way, rather than going though thousands of minutes of video and audio, all you have to figure out is whether a person is lying or not."

Tsuna walked off and went into the mansion.

'_What was that question?'_ Reborn thought, staring after Tsunayoshi. _'"If I wasn't here", "If I wasn't alive". It's almost as if there was some sort of an accident that threatened her life.'_

Then Tsunayoshi appeared in his view. "Since these belong to you, would you please clean these up?" Tsunayoshi asked, gesturing to the spy cameras.

"No problem…" Reborn replied.

Finally Tsunayoshi went back inside the mansion.

_**Dinner**_

"Tonight'll be my last night staying over," Reborn announced from his spot at the dinner table.

Those who were peeping on the dinner scene had mixtures of emotions: happy, cheerful, anything that explains happiness.

"So you won't stay over from now on?" Zangetsu asked.

"Unless something came up, no. I'll leave in the morning."

"All right then. Brat, tell your mother that Reborn will be staying at her house."

"I understand. I will inform her of this later tonight," Tsunayoshi replied in her male voice.

_**Later that night**_

Bluebell glomped Tsunayoshi once again that day. "Yay! Now that baby won't be staying over again!"

"Don't get your hopes up, Bluebell," Tsunayoshi replied. "Just because he won't stay over doesn't mean he won't come over and check up for me. After all, he is my father's friend."

"What! That means he'll be snooping around!" Bluebell exclaimed.

"I guess that means we can't relax all the time," Zakuro whined.

"But if he's now keeping tabs on you, how come your father can't do that himself?" Kikyo asked.

Tsuna thought over her answer before saying, "Probably because he's too busy running around, playing substitute for the head."

_**Morning after**_

_*Ding Dong*_

Nana looked up from the magazine she was reading. She looked at the clock. "Oh, he came early. I wonder what kind of associate he is of Iemitsu's."

She opened the front door. "Hai?"

"Ciaossu," Reborn replied, causing Nana to look down.

"Oh, hello! Um, are you going to be staying with me, uh, Reborn…kun?" Nana asked, making way for the baby to enter the house.

"Yup! I'm also a home tutor," Reborn said, coming in. "Too bad that your daughter doesn't need any help, otherwise you'd be awe of my teaching skills."

"Oh! Well, the fact that she doesn't need any help means Zangetsu-san's a really good teacher himself. Oh, your room will be the guest room next to Tsu-chan's room," Nana explained, going up the stairs."

"She has a room here?"

"Yep! Even thought she's staying at Zangetsu-san's out of convenience, I'd rather keep her room around, so that she always has a place at home here," Nana added, opening the door across from a door with a fish sign that says '27'.

"Here's your room." Reborn looked inside a homely room. The room had a small twin bed pushed to the corner, a bookcase, a small dresser, and a short desk.

"Thank you," Reborn replied, putting his suitcase on the small dresser.

"Ano…" Nana hesitated before asking, "What is the reason why you're here? If you don't mind my asking? Iemitsu said to just let you stay here, but Tsu-chan's co-workers have been complaining about you because you get into everyone's business. I trust Iemitsu's decision, but Tsu-chan's co-workers are also people I trust because they would never allow Tsu-chan to be hurt."

"Let's just say that there's someone whom I have a lot of respect for who wants your daughter to take his place in his line of work," Reborn explained.

"Oh, dear. You would need a lot of help to persuade Tsu-chan to take his place."

"Is Zangetsu the reason why she won't?"

"Yup. You see, Zangetsu is to her the same way Iemitsu is to me. Zangetsu is the only person who understood her and took care of the selfishness that I couldn't take care of. That's why she won't budge from her place next to him."

"I see…," Reborn smirked. "Looks like I have my work cut out for me."

"Good luck. Oh, lunch will be ready at noon. I'll call you down when it's set on the table."

"Thank you, Nana-san."

"Please call me Mama."

"All right, Maman."


	2. Chapter 2: Butler and Guest

_The mafia boss_

_A leader who controls a criminal organization_

_Able to move a number of trusted men with one hand_

_Willing to risk even their life for their family_

_Surrounded by the admiration and respect of all_

_Seen as a hero by the children of the slums_

"Is that right?" Reborn asked, pointing a gun at Tsunayoshi's head with Bluebell, Daisy, and Zakuro looking over her shoulders.

"You're the one who wanted me to read this," Tsunayoshi replied, holding up the paper that lists all the benefits of being a Boss. The butler sighed. It had barely been a day after the kendo match and Reborn was driving everyone crazy, herself included. Oddly, Master Zangetsu was the only one not affected by Reborn's everyday appearance. Then again, Reborn never bothered him.

"Hey! Don't point a gun at Tsuna's head, even if it's a fake one," Bluebell cried.

"Read that every morning," Reborn said, ignoring the blue-haired maid. "You will be 10th generation Donna of the Vongola, I'll make sure of it."

"Propaganda isn't the way to get me motivated enough to do what you want," the butler replied, ripping the paper into pieces.

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

_Bang!_

Tsunayoshi dodged all four bullets aimed at her person and struck back with four knifes at Reborn, the target being Reborn's smoking gun.

"You can comment, but you can't rip the paper. Great reflexes, by the way," Reborn commented. "If I weren't me, Leon would probably have a hole in him." The gun that Reborn used transformed into the chameleon that was usually on his fedora.

"Hey! No guns in the kitchen!" Zakuro yelled. "If you're going to spread gunpowder, then go outside!"

"Not the gardens either! I use special fertilizers to have the flowers grow up nicely!" Daisy cried. "Go to the pool!"

"No way! I don't want to taste gunpowder when I go swimming!" Bluebell protested.

"All in all, Reborn-san, no use of guns, especially a Leon-transformed, on the mansion grounds, inside the mansion and out," Tsunayoshi explained.

"Then you'll just have to stop me," Reborn declared. He ran out of the kitchen and sounds of gun shots echoed after him.

"Seriously…he is going to ruin the mansion," Tsunayoshi complained.

"I'd better go see if he has destroyed any antiques," Kikyo volunteered.

"All right. Everyone, get to work."

"I'll go check on the china!" Bluebell yelled, going into the hallways.

"I'm watering the flowers!" Daisy cried, going outside with a water can.

"I'll check inventory," Zakuro said, going to the storage room.

"I have to get to school," Tsunayoshi said. She changed out of her butler persona and changed into her school uniform.

As she walked onto the school grounds with her bike, people have been cautious of her. Tsuna assumed that it was because of how familiar Kyouya interacted with her. He never really cared about reputations.

_**Lunchtime**_

"Kyoko-chan. Hana-chan," Tsuna said, coming up to the girls with two bentos in one hand. "Would you ladies like to accompany me to the roof? With just Kyouya up there, it's kinda lonely a little."

"Of course," Kyoko replied.

"Sure. It's a nice day out, after all," Hana added.

Fan boys of Kyoko watched enviously as Tsuna took their idol and her best friend from the classroom.

_**Rooftop**_

"Kyouya!" Tsuna called out, opening the door. "Hope you don't mind, but me and three other people are joining you today!"

Kyouya, who was napping in the middle of the rooftop, sat up. "Those who disturb my nap will be bitten to death," he said, taking out his tonfa.

"Later, okay? It's lunch now. I'm starving," Tsuna replied, taking a seat next to him.

"So who's the third person joining us?" Hana asked taking a seat next to Tsuna. Kyoko took Hana's other side.

"Reborn, an associate of my father's," Tsuna answered, setting one bento in front of her and the other bento behind far.

"Does he know where we are?" Kyoko asked.

"Of course I do. I am, after all, the hitman home tutor, Reborn," a high voice answered behind them.

Kyoko and Hana jumped at the voice. Kyouya snapped into a fighting stance. Tsuna just ignored the voice and opened up her bento.

"Everyone, this is Reborn, my father's associate," Tsuna introduced Reborn who took the bento behind Tsuna.

"Oh! You're that baby who was on Tsuna-kun's head the other day," Kyoko said. "You look so cute up close."

Hana, however, had a different reaction. She leapt up and knelt behind Kyoko.

"Sorry about her. She's not good with children," Kyoko explained.

"Really? I never would've pegged you for someone who's horrible with kids, Hana-chan," Tsuna commented.

"I hate kids. I get hives if they come near," Hana replied.

"Everyone is crowding. Move or I'll bite you to death," Kyouya said.

"Kyouya, if you spare everyone, I'll give you my lunch," Tsuna bribed.

"Fine. Give me all of it and starve," Kyouya replied, taking the bento.

"Good thing I came prepared with Zakuro's bento," Tsuna said to herself, taking out a mini-sized bento from her pocket.

"Wow! This little bento is so cute!" Kyoko commented.

"I'm impressed! What's in there?" Hana asked.

Tsuna opened the bento and it was just a scrambled egg.

"Now I'm disappointed," Hana said.

"But it's so cute that the egg fits in there," Kyoko added.

"But it's so small. Are you going through the rest of the day on that?" Reborn asked.

Tsuna replied, "Of course I'm going to. After all, I've starved before, thanks to you, Kyouya."

"What are you talking about? You were the one who agreed to share your bento with me," Kyouya denied.

"Shut up!" Tsuna cried.

The girls laughed.

The door to the roof opened. A boy cowered at the sight of the scary prefect.

"Um, don't worry about him," Tsunayoshi said. "He's just cranky. Are you looking for someone?"

"Um, yes. I'm looking for you, Sawada," the boy replied. "I'm part of the volleyball team and we're missing a person on our team because all our other substitutes got food poisioning, so can we rely on you to play? Um, you were really awesome beatin up Mochida yesterday."

"When's the volleyball match?" Tsuna asked.

"After school."

"Is it just one match?" Tsunayoshi asked, hoping that there weren't any more otherwise it'll interfere with her butler duties.

"Yup."

"Okay. Then I'll show up," Tsuna replied.

"Alright! Now we can play!" the boy cheered.

"You're crowding. Leave or I'll bite you to death," Kyouya threatened.

The boy scampered away.

"You sure live up to your rep, head prefect," Hana commented.

_**Mansion**_

"I'm so bored!" Bluebell whined.

"Then why don't you get out of the kitchen then?" a sleepy Zakuro asked.

"Because if I do, then there's so much on the maid's to-do list that I don't want to do," she replied.

"Then what's the point of being bored?"

Yells from the garden echoed and a dirt-covered Daisy burst into the kitchen. "Everyone! What are you guys doing? Why aren't you doing your duties?"

"What do you mean, Daisy? What's with the shouting?" Zakuro asked, yawning.

"You two really have forgotten, haven't you?" Kikyo commented, coming into the kitchen. He held up his clipboard. "Yamamoto G.S.-sama is arriving for dinner with Zangetsu."

Then the two who were lounging jumped and panicked.

"I'd better prepare the tea set!" Bluebell cried.

"I have to get started on a Kyoto cuisine!" Zakuro said.

"I'll help. I've already finished the gardens," Daisy said.

"Get cleaned first! You've got dirt all over you!"

"I'll help too. It won't do if Tsunayoshi-kun finds that we haven't prepared everything," Kikyo added.

_**After School**_

"So what did you do?" Tsuna asked in an empty hallway with a fire hydrant.

"I know that you have something to do with having me being a substitute for the volleyball team because I made absolutely sure that I was a substitute of a substitute of a substitute of a substitute of a substitute of the team member that was sick," the girl in a boy school uniform added. "And there's no way that all of them would have food poisoning in one night, so what did you feed them, Mr. Demon Home Tutor?"

"Amazing," Reborn commented, revealing him to be inside the fire hydrant with a cozy five-star room. "You were able to figure where I am and find out that I was the one who gave them food poisoning. Impressive. My last student wasn't this smart."

"No. I was able to find out that you were the source of food poisoning because I'm good friends with some doctors from the hospital where all the substitutes and team member's families had rushed to after eating a poisoned pizza from 'Vongola Italian Pizza Parlor.'"

"Good resources. They'll come in handy when you take over the Vongola Family."

"Haven't you been listening to me when I always say that I refuse?"

"I never listen."

"That makes two of us. Well, I'm off to the volleyball match."

_**Volleyball Match**_

_Bam!_

"Point for Class 1-A!"

_Bam!_

"Wow! That Sawada's hogging all the hits!"

_Bam!_

"Who would've thought that Tsuna-kun's so good at volleyball too?" Kyoko commented while Hana just sweat dropped.

"But don't you think it's strange that he's been hiding all this talent?" Hana said. "Even Yamamoto, our baseball star, can't even match him."

_Bam!_

"Class 1-A wins!"

"All right! We won!"

"Sawada, how do you do this?"

"How come you didn't join the volleyball team?"

Yamamoto, the baseball star, patted Tsuna on the shoulder. "That was really some awesome playing! Why are you hiding all that strength?"

"Am I hiding my strength?" Tsunayoshi asked. "Anyways, I have to go now. I can't stay long."

"Aw! Why can't you stay?" a volleyball teammate asked.

"I have prior arrangements. Please excuse me," Tsuna said, getting away from the happy class of 1-A.

_**Mansion**_

"What in the world happened!" Tsunayoshi, the butler, demanded from the cook, maid, house steward and the gardener, pointing to the burnt kitchen and the shattered china.

"I wanted to hurry the process of cooking a Kyoto cuisine, so I used a flame-thrower," Zakuro sheepishly replied.

"I lost control of the trolley that was carrying the china," Bluebell whimpered.

"Good thing that I can back in time," Tsunayoshi commented. "It's four in the afternoon. Only an hour and a half before Yamamoto-san arrives."

"What are we gonna do without a tea set and no dinner?" Bluebell asked.

"We can perform a tea ceremony; dinner's a whole other story," Tsuna replied.

"A tea ceremony?" Zakuro repeated.

"I'll gather the necessary items," Kikyo said.

"Thank you."

"Dinner…what would be good for an old man with a fiery temper?" Zakuro pondered.

'_Donburi's no good; we had that the last time he came by,'_ thought Tsuna. _'Steak and kidney pies are for lunch. Wait!'_

"Zakuro! We still have the spices that Urahara gave us, right?" Tsuna asked.

"Yeah…Are you going to make that...?" Zakuro replied.

"It's the only way to save Master Zangetsu's face," Tsuna explained, heading towards the storage room.

_**Five-Thirty**_

A limo pulled up to the mansion's pathway. Yamamoto G.S. came out from the limo. He was an old man with a long beard, but he's the head of the government that Zangetsu used to be a part of before he decided to retire. Yamamoto refuses to resign, believing that discipline would slack if he disappears from work.

"Welcome back, Yamamoto-san," Tsunayoshi greeted, bowing low. The rest of the staff, standing in a line, copied the butler's example. Zangetsu stood at the doorway.

"It's been a while, Yamamoto-san," Zangetsu greeted.

"Yes. It has been quite a while," Yamamoto replied, using his wooden cane for support as he walked towards his former worker.

"Come. Allow me to escort you to a room where you can enjoy our Zen garden," Tsunayoshi said, leading the way.

"Oh? You've taken care of that garden, in spite of the storm a couple of days ago?" the old man asked.

"Of course. Cleaning up after the storm is no large task," the butler replied.

Tsunayoshi lead the two into one of the Japanese rooms with a furo heated. The screen door was opened to view the beautiful Zen garden that Daisy tended to earlier.

"Oh, my. It's even more splendid than the last time I came to visit," Yamamoto commented. "Eh? The irises…how long ago were they buds? The irises shouldn't have taken this short amount of time before blossoming."

"Our gardener has always kept various flowers in greenhouses before planting them out in the gardens," Tsunayoshi explained. "Please allow me to perform the tea ceremony."

Tsuna sat seiza style in front of the furo. She folded the fukusa, a square silk cloth, to clean the tea scoop and the natsume. The natsume was already filled with thin tea leaves. She used the tea scoop to scoop tea from the natsume. Tsuna carefully scooped up hot water from inside the furo with the ladle and into a tea bowl. She stirred the tea and hot water with a whisk. Tsuna passed the tea bowl to Yamamoto, who took a sip.

"Ah! This green tea reminds me of a special blend from the venerable Uji tea shop," Yamamoto commented. "Is this maccha bought from there?"

"Yes. We hope that this maccha is suitable to your tastes," Tsunayoshi replied.

"Oh, thank you very much. I've gotten quite tired of the England tea that my lieutenant provides," Yamamoto added, passing the tea bowl to Zangetsu. "Your skill in the tea ceremony has gotten better."

"Thank you very much. It was thanks to the training that Byakuya has given me," Tsunayoshi replied.

"Oh, yes. I was wondering why he would come here more often than I would."

"The tea tastes excellent, Tsuna," Zangetsu commented, wiping his lips of the tea. He set the tea bowl in front of Tsuna. "Thank you very much."

Tsuna gathered the tea equipment, lowered the temperature of the furo, and left the room. "Please look forward to the evening meal."

"Your butler is ever the skillful one," Yamamoto commented. "If only that child could work with us full time."

"The day that happens is when hell freezes over. That child is well aware of what her father does and what the government is doing most of the time; there is no way that she would be able to work with you guys full time, especially since she is, after all, very much against the entire government."

"As that is true, we do need something who would keep us all in line. That child would always find ways to reprimand someone and mold them into someone they never thought they would be without doing the dirty deeds that we would, which is why Ukitake and Retsu would like her to look after this…individual."

"Individual?"

_Knock Knock_

"Please pardon the intrusion," Tsunayoshi said, coming into the room with a tray. "The evening meal's preparations have been arranged, so please pardon the wait. Today's menu is the head family's chef, Zakuro's, curry bread."

"This is the evening meal?" Yamamoto gestured to the two bread that the butler that placed in front of the two men.

"Yes. I had hoped that Yamamoto-san would like to eat something spicy, followed by an entremets made with chocolate."

"Oh? What kind of curry is it?"

"This curry bread is a curry that only the British could make."

"Only the British?"

"Eh? Were you not aware of this fact? The British's queen Victoria from the eighteenth century has a love for curry and held competitions for the best made curry. This competition has been held annually, even after her lady's death. As a child, my grandfather had the liberty of taking me to one and entering me in as a competitor. This is the curry I made, using Indian spices and my experience in England."

"Your grandfather…entered you in a curry competition?"

"The competition had a children's contest, which I won."

"I see." Yamamoto took a bite of the curry bread. "Delicious. The deep-fried bread combines with the sticky curry really well."

"This is a rare treat," Zangetsu said, biting into his curry bread.

"Please enjoy the evening meal," Tsunayoshi said before leaving the room.

The butler entered the kitchen, "How's the dessert coming along?"

"We just have to add some azuki beans and these two chocolate pieces," Zakuro replied, gesturing to the ingredients and the entremets.

"I'll take care of that. You all have worked hard," Tsuna said. "I'll cut some pieces for everyone."

"Yay!" Bluebell and Daisy cheered.

"A job's reward," Zakuro said.

"But then we wouldn't have to work this hard if you've done your job right," Kikyo commented.

"Hey!"

"No arguing now," Tsuna called out, leaving some pieces of the entremets for everyone.

"Yay! Desserts!" Bluebell cheered.

"It's delicious because everyone made them," Kikyo said.

"Hey! They're all gone!" Daisy cried.

Everyone saw the table that had held the dishes of entremets was clear of the dishes.

"What happened!" Bluebell demanded. "Everybody here didn't take them!"

"Then who did? Tsuna's the one who left them," Zakuro said.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Tsunayoshi said, entering the room with two dishes of the entremets. "The after-dinner dessert is served."

"Oh? It's a Japanese maccha and chocolate glacage entremets," Yamamoto commented.

"Yes. We hope that this dessert is to your taste," Tsunayoshi explained.

"My, thank you very much," Yamamoto replied.

Then yells echoed outside the room.

"Please excuse me," Tsunayoshi said, leaving the room.

Yells stopped.

"Your staff is as rowdy as ever," Yamamoto commented. "But quieter than everyone at work."

"As much as I am disturbed by their presence," Zangetsu replied, "they get their work done and they're fast learners. I don't get to complain much about them because that child brat was the one who brought them here."

"Oh? Then that child has a keen eye for loyalty."

"Except loyalty for whom?"

_**Kitchen**_

"What happened?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"All the entremets you left us are gone!" Bluebell and Daisy cried as they glomped Tsuna.

"Gone?" Tsuna saw that Zakuro was lying his head pathetically on the table where she had left the entremets while Kikyo looked disturbed.

"Did you guys forget?" Tsuna asked. All eyes turned to her. "There's one other person who would do this. He said that he'll bother us and come here, didn't he?"

"AH!" Bluebell and Daisy cried. "THAT HOME TUTOR!"

"Correct," Reborn said, coming out of a kitchen cabinet. "I was the one who ate all the entremets that was for everyone. Here are the dirty dishes." Reborn used a string to drop the dirty dishes in the sink.

"Those entremets were for everyone," Tsunayoshi said while Zakuro, Bluebell, and Daisy had horrified expressions and Kikyo having an annoyed look.

"So what? It's a dog-eat-dog world, after all," Reborn replied, shadowing his eyes with his fedora. "Eat all while you can or you'll get eaten."

"Don't pay any attention to him. After the guest leaves, I'll make some desserts for everyone. So wait patiently," Tsunayoshi said.

"Yay! Tsuna's homemade sweets!" Bluebell cheered.

_**Some time later**_

"Thank you very much for your hospitality. I would very much like to come again," Yamamoto said.

"We're glad that Yamamoto-san has enjoyed his time here," Tsunayoshi replied. "Please come by soon."

"Thank you," was the last thing Yamamoto G.S. said before leaving in the same limo that dropped him off.

"Tsuna," Zangetsu called. "Be sure to prepare a Shalimar tea for tonight's tea."

"Understood, Master Zangetsu," Tsunayoshi replied.

Heading to the kitchen, Tsuna dodged some bullets that aimed at her heart and retaliated with some knives. The knives struck their mark, but not the target.

"Aw, man. You destroyed my hat completely," Reborn commented, landing on Tsuna's head.

"What's with you? Attacking me with bullets," Tsunayoshi complained. "I already said no guns on mansion grounds, inside and out."

"Did you? I probably wasn't listening," Reborn replied, taking out a new fedora from his suit.

"What about Mother?" Tsuna asked.

"Oh. I told her that I was coming over here after we ate dinner together," Reborn answered.

"I see," Tsuna replied.

"You're a cruel child, leaving your mother all alone at meal times."

"Mom understands why I leave her all alone, just like how Iemitsu leaves her alone too."

"If you know why your dad's missing all the time, why don't you stay with your mom?"

"Tried. Mom ended up sending me away to some close friend of hers because she didn't want me to see the shameful side of her yearning for her husband's presence."

"She sent you away…?"

"Eh? You have no idea of this? I thought you'd know since your Vongola Intelligence team is supposed to be the best, after all."

Tsuna lifted Reborn off her head and left him sitting next to a vase outside the kitchens. "Just stay there, okay," and she went inside the kitchen.

"Tsuna! Sweets! Sweets! Sweets!" cried Bluebell as she glomped the butler.

"All right. All right. Just hold on. We have to gather ingredients first," Tsuna replied.

_**Reborn**_

'_Tried. Mom ended up sending me away to some close friend of hers because she didn't want me to see the shameful side of her yearning for her husband's presence.'_

'_She was sent away? Why wasn't anything like this mentioned in any of the files?_,' Reborn thought.

He went and entered the kitchen. "Oi! Tsuna!"

"What?" Tsuna asked. Reborn stopped in midstep, seeing an all-sweets party of mille crêpes.

"Here you go," Tsunayoshi said, handing him a mille crepe of apricot and green tea. "It's your favorite. As much as your behaviors were despicable, you are still a guest. As such, this is your dessert."

"Thank you…" Reborn accepted his dessert.

"Everyone, I'll be taking Master Zangetsu's tea," Tsunayoshi announced.

"All right!" was everyone's reply.

_**Zangetsu's room**_

"I've prepared a Shalimar tea you've requested," Tsunayoshi explained, pouring the hot tea into a teacup. "It'll calm your nerves a bit, so you can relax about the piece of unpleasant news you'll tell me."

Zangetsu smiled. "Huh. So you already knew that this piece of news is unpleasant."

"Because a Shalimar tea would serve to distract you from your troubled feelings with its strong aroma. Of course, any tea from Dimbula would help."

"If that's the case, then prepare yourself. The main reason why Yamamoto-san came by was because Ukitake and Retsu wishes that you would find this individual and have reprimand his crimes by having him stay here as a prisoner."

"An individual?"

"Yes. He's in Italian fugitive, already killing hundreds of people, including his own Family. It seems that he's locked up at the moment. The Italian government is already informed that you would be picking him up."

"But why me and why reprimand by staying here? And as a prisoner of all things?"

"Because you are able to find ways to reprimand someone and mold them into someone they never thought they would be without doing the dirty deeds that other people would. And because the Italian government is already having trouble containing him. You would probably have to meet 'him' to understand our new 'guest' a bit more."

"I understand. I'll go see him tomorrow. But what of the individual's name?"

"Rokudo. Mukuro Rokudo is the individual's name."

* * *

><p>I know. I know. I should be focusing on the Tsunayoshi series, but I couldn't resist doing this story. Furthermore, there's the development in the Shimon Arc. It just throws everything I had planned for the series off, but I can always repost it, but I worry that it would annoy some readers who are waiting for the series' development, rather than the story flowing together.<p>

The 'curry bread' came from Kuroshitsuji. The entremets came from 'Yumeiro.' I can't cook from scratch to save my life. If you just asked me to microwave stuff, then I can save my life. Cook from scratch, then I lose my life.

Anyways, I have an idea for Lanchia since he's the one who's under Rokudo Mukuro's name, after all. Undertaker will be in the next chapter too.


	3. Chapter 3: Butler and Jailbreak

"We have a new transfer student from overseas in Italy, joining us today. His name is Gokudera Hayato."

'_Italy? I wonder if Reborn called him over.'_ Tsuna thought. She observed the new student from her desk. He had short silver hair and blue-green eyes. He wasn't wearing the tie to the school uniform, his shirt was left unbuttoned with a red undershirt, and he had two necklaces hanging around his neck. Besides his necklaces, he also wore a multitude of bracelets and rings. His face looked like it had been permanently twisted into a scowl. She could only wonder how Kyouya caught his lack of proper school attire.

Tsuna glanced around idly to see what other reactions the new student was getting, and saw that it was mostly just idle curiosity for the most part, admiration for the girls who are very taken with his appearance. When she turned back to the front, she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. The transfer student was _glaring_ at _her_.

'_What in the world happened? Did Reborn really send him over?'_ she thought.

She leaned back on her chair when the transfer walked over to her, even though the teacher was trying to direct him towards his seat on the other side of the classroom.

Hayato walked right up to her desk and kicked it violently, knocking it back and scattered her things, glaring at her the whole time. Tsuna was lucky that she leaned back on her chair enough to not get hit in her stomach from the desk.

'_I was right…Reborn did send him,'_ thought Tsuna.

"You know him, Sawada?" one of her classmates asked.

"No idea," Tsuna replied.

"He has to be a gangster," another of her classmates whispered, to which Tsuna nodded.

"There's no denying that," she said.

_**Break**_

"Tsuna-kun, are you all right?" Kyoko asked, coming up to Tsuna with Hana.

"I'm all right. Luckily, I leaned far back on my chair. No worries," Tsuna replied.

"Wonder what was up with him," Hana commented. "It's only his first day and he's already causing trouble."

"Maybe being in a new country really bothers him and he's just taking his frustration out on something random," Tsuna replied. "Or he just really wanted someone to dislike him. After all, not everyone can come to like him."

"But did that something random really have to be you?" Hana asked.

"Who knows?" Tsuna replied. "Excuse me, ladies. I'm afraid I have to go to the men's room."

"All right," Hana said.

"Bye bye, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko said.

After doing her business in the boys' bathroom (she has to go to the boys' bathroom, otherwise people will wonder why there's a boy in the girls' bathroom), she decided that there was enough time to take a breather in the courtyard.

Tsuna stretched. "Ahh, it's such a nice day out."

"Your weakness makes me sick!" A voice said and she turned to see the transfer student, Gokudera Hayato.

"Oh? Gokudera Hayato-kun, you're out here, too?" Tsuna said. "It's great day to be out here, huh?"

"Quit talking about the weather!" Hayato shouted, getting annoyed by the second. "If a pinprick like you becomes the 10th Gen Boss, the Vongola family is finished."

"Then the family might as well disband," Tsuna replied. "I don't wanna take over."

"I refuse to accept it," Hayato growled, turning to glare at her, "I'm the one who's fit to be the 10th!" he said, his voice filled with malice.

Tsuna turned to stare at him; confusion was all over her face. "Eh?"

"You're a nuisance," Hayato said, drawing his hands from his pockets and bringing the sticks of dynamite he was holding into clear view, "Die right here."

"Dynamite? Nice…not much people use them in the middle of a battle nowadays," Tsuna commented.

That just angered the transfer student more. He lit the wicks of his explosives, using the burning end of his cigarette. "Later," he said, and dropped them right in front of her.

But in the next second, Tsuna poured water on them from a pail. "I wonder what else they can do," Tsuna said, seeing the dynamites losing their spark. "Eh? Nothing else? That's boring."

The Italian was caught by surprise by the girl boy's sudden appearance with a pail of water. He lit more dynamites, but a passing bullet defused the sparks. Hayato tsked, turning to glare, though a bit more calmly, at the person who had prevented his second round of explosives from detonating.

"Ciaossu," Tsuna heard, and she turned to see Reborn.

Reborn looked quite calm, sitting on a low tree ledge with a smoking gun in his hand, as if the next heir of the Vongola Family wasn't about to be killed by dynamites.

"You came earlier than I expected, Gokudera Hayato," Reborn commented.

"So it really was you who sent for him, Reborn," Tsuna said.

"Yeah, he's a member of the family that I called over from Italy," Reborn explained. "This is my first time meeting him, though."

"So you're the Ninth Generation's highly trusted assassin, Reborn," commented Hayato. "You weren't kidding about me becoming a candidate for succession if I kill Sawada, right?"

"So you fed him that lie, Reborn? I can't believe you. Are you insane?" Tsuna asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Reborn said, ignoring Tsuna. "Well, let's continue with the killing."

"I'm not good at killing," Tsuna admitted.

"Who cares," Hayato said. He brought out more sticks of cigarettes. Sticking them in his mouth, he lit them all in one quick motion with his lighter. Hayato drew out dozens of sticks of dynamite from who knows where, lighting them as he had done before. He dropped the bombs, surrounding Tsuna.

Tsuna herself didn't think of the dynamites as any danger as she stared at them in boredom. She shrugged her shoulders and did what people would have thought to be an extreme version of Dance Dance Revolution, stamping out the fuses of Hayato's dynamites.

"It's said that Gokudera Hayato is a human explosive device that conceals dynamite all over his body," Reborn explained, observing Tsuna's extreme dance skills that put out the dynamites' wicks. "His other name is Smokin' Bomb Hayato."

Finally, all the dynamites were put out. "I think I noticed that when he first brought them all out," Tsuna said.

"Double Bomb!" Hayato shouted, lighting more bombs, throwing them at the cross-dressing girl.

Tsuna ran across the courtyard, to the outdoor sinks. She kicked one of the faucets out of the pipe and aimed the water at the dynamites, quenching them in water.

"What?" Hayato cried in shocked irritation.

Reborn noted distantly that Tsuna's reactions to Gokudera's attacks were to be expected from the student who underwent the Moon Fang's teachings. Her evasion skills were excellent and her reflexes were exceptional.

Growling, Hayato brought out three times the dynamite than before, lighting them, "Triple Bomb!"

Just as he was about to throw them, one fell. Staring at it in surprise, he fumbled with the rest of his dynamites in his hands, accidentally dropping them. His multitude of cancer sticks followed until only one remained clenched between his teeth.

"Shit…" he muttered, the thought of this being the end flashing through his mind.

"Get over here," Tsuna said, grabbing his arm. She dragged him over to the middle of the courtyard.

"Hold this for me," Tsuna asked, handing him an umbrella she snuck from the office. Hayato looked in confusion at the umbrella. Tsuna ran into the school.

"Ten seconds until the dynamites explode," Reborn commented, leaving Hayato in the courtyard, floating away on a Leon propeller.

Then Tsuna ran back into the courtyard, carrying hoses with her. She scattered them all over the courtyard and the dynamites and ran over to Hayato.

"You can stand under my umbrella," Tsuna said, opening the umbrella over her and Hayato. "Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"

Hayato's dynamites were unable to explode as water from the holes where there were cuts in the hoses flooded the courtyard.

"It's a rainy day with the sun!" Tsuna exclaimed, laughing.

Gokudera was so sure for a couple of seconds that he was going to die, alone. And then Sawada did something with the hoses he brought and a torrent of water from each hose extinguished all the explosives. They are both _soaked_, despite the umbrella Sawada brought, and Gokudera knew they must look a sight.

He was taken aback and spellbound at the same time. He had been nothing but rude and insulting, he even tried to kill him, yet Sawada found him worth saving and had the spirit to laugh about everything afterwards. The other boy's voice was so open and infectious, and they both look so ridiculous that Gokudera couldn't help but join in.

Their mirthful laughs are almost hysterical, giving what had taken place in the past ten minutes.

Everything had gone all wrong, and he was so set on hating the other with every fiber of his being. Gokudera's face is still wet from the earlier onslaught of water, so if tears unintentionally sprang up, they intermingled unseen. He cannot distinguish if they are of happiness, sorrow or relief anyway.

Gokudera finds himself seeing more to Sawada than he first rashly concluded.

Eventually, they both calm down, Tsuna closed the umbrella. The acrid smell of smoke still lingers in the air as Gokudera looks at Tsunayoshi: unpretentious, skillful, compassionate, and cannot imagine a better successor for the Vongola.

He falls to his knees and gladly bows his head. "I was mistaken! You're the one who's fit to be the boss!"

Tsunayoshi turned to look at him. "Excuse me?"

"When I first heard that the next head of the Vongola family was a kid the same age as me, I felt that I just had to test you," Hayato explained. "But then you saved me, even though I had a lot of rude words and tried to kill you. I will follow you everywhere, Tenth!"

"Congratulations, Tsuna. You got your very first subordinate," Reborn said. "Having the loser serve under the winner is a family rule."

"I refuse to have someone like him follow everywhere," Tsuna bluntly replied, smashing an arrow that said 'someone like him,' into Hayato's heart. "Besides, I can't be the head of a family if I'm serving under a master, right?"

"A master?" Hayato repeated.

Until some yells captured their attention. "Sawada! New Student!"

"Yes, sensei?" Tsuna replied, seeing a teacher coming into the courtyard. His legs were getting soaked from the leftover water that the hoses had gushed out. The water finally stopped, so there was no need for an umbrella.

"How dare you flood the courtyard! What reason do you have to drench everything in water!" shouted the teacher.

"Because it was kinda hot today and I was gleefully happy, so I thought I wanna sing in the rain," Tsuna replied, making up an excuse.

Gokudera's face became shadowed. "Looks like it's time to make myself useful." A few recognizable red sticks emerged in his hands. "Leave it to me," he reassured Tsuna. "I'll totally annihilate him."

"Eh? Hayato, put those away! Come on!" Tsuna took his arm and dragged him away from the courtyard and the fuming teacher.

"Hey! Sawada! Transfer student!" the teacher cried. Unlucky for him, the head prefect showed up.

"What happened?" the head prefect demanded.

The teacher cowered. "It was Sawada and the new transfer student! They flooded the courtyard!"

Kyouya looked around and then faced the teacher. "For letting them get away and not paying attention to Sawada Tsunayoshi's tactics when he borrowed the hose, I'll bite you to death."

The teacher's screams were heard all over school.

"Jyuudaime! I could've taken that guy!" Hayato claimed. He and Tsuna were no longer within range of Kyouya's sharp ears, but they're still on school.

"You could've taken on the teacher, but then you'd get suspended and you won't be coming to school for a while," Tsuna replied. "And then there was the head prefect, who's just as scary as Reborn. There's no way that you could take him."

"There's no need to worry on my behalf! Still, I'm touched by your concern."

"Let's just find some way to get out of these soaked clothes," Tsuna said. "I think I'm gonna catch a cold."

"Don't worry! I'll threaten the school to turn on their heaters, so that Jyuudaime won't get cold," Hayato said. Before he could leave, Tsuna grabbed hold of his shirt collar.

"You're not going anywhere, too," Tsuna said. "We can't have _you_ getting a cold, too. Luckily, I have some spare clothes in my locker. Maybe you can fit in my P.E. uniform."

"Jyuudaime! No! I'm not worthy enough to wear your clothes!" Hayato cried.

"Then it's either you wear of your own will, or I'm forcing them on you."

"If-if Jyuudaime says so."

Smiling, Tsuna went to class, interrupted the class, got her P.E. bag, made up some long winded excuse to the teacher and went to the boys' locker room with Hayato. The class, in her absence, made stories that would explain why Hayato became Tsuna's new best friend, why there were blasts, why the courtyard was flooded and why a teacher was blamed for it.

Kyoko and Hana were worried. They saw how the new student had treated their new friend earlier. Suddenly, blasts were heard from the courtyard's direction. Tsuna came into class, Hayato was faithful to Tsuna and they're both soaking wet.

'_What happened!'_ the two girls thought.

"Jyuudaime! I'm honored to have been lent clothes from you!" Hayato said, his voice echoing in the boys' locker room, clutching Tsuna's P.E. clothes. Tsuna's P.E. clothes were a bit large on her anyway, so it fit Hayato.

"Just change already," Tsuna said, changing in at the next locker row, hidden from Hayato's view.

"Um, Jyuudaime, why are you changing at the next locker row?" Hayato asked. "Or is it that you're repulsive by me that you're not letting me stand next to you?"

"First of all, Hayato, I don't hate you," Tsuna explained, going back to Hayato in dry clothes. "And second, I'm a bit conscious of the scars I got from my childhood."

"You have scars from your childhood! Wow! Jyuudaime, your childhood must be so rough," Hayato commented, quickly changing into Tsuna's P.E. uniform.

"It's a little okay," Tsuna replied, leaning on the lockers. "At least I can take care of myself in case someone tries to beat me up. You can not believe how many people tried to beat me up just because of my short figure and girly face." _'But I'm a girl, so I'm supposed to have a girly face and be shorter than guys.'_

"It's all right! Jyuudaime isn't short at all! People don't stop growing until they're at least 25," Hayato argued. "And Jyuudaime's face isn't girly at all!"

Silence took over the scene. Finally, Tsuna broke the awkward staring. "I literally don't know how I'm supposed to respond to that."

Then the bell rang. "At least it's after school now. We can deal with everyone tomorrow."

"Hey! Tsuna!" capturing Tsuna's and Hayato's attention before they left the school grounds.

The two saw Hana and Kyoko coming towards them. "Hana, Kyoko?"

"What's going on?" Hana asked disapprovingly, Kyoko looked worried behind her. "Earlier today, this transfer student knocked your desk into you. After class started, you two didn't show up and everyone heard explosions coming from the courtyard. All of a sudden, you two come to class soaking wet, give off a long winded excuse that does nothing to explain why there were explosions. Some Disciplinary Committee members say that Hibari beat up the teacher who was present at the courtyard where it was flooded. The teacher claims that you two have something to do with it. What is going on?"

"Sorry for not explaining everything to you, but remember Reborn, my home tutor?" Tsuna replied.

"Who wouldn't forget that creepy looking kid," Hana said while Kyoko nodded.

"Well, Reborn saw that I had very few friends, so he called Hayato, who's our age, from Italy to come be my friend," Tsuna said, which is sort of a lie, yet also the truth. "He didn't want his trip to be a waste, so he decided to test me by being mean. By being mean, he had the idea of using cigarettes, but we were near the science lab, so I broke all the outdoor water faucets, which was why we were wet and the courtyard being flooded."

"I see…" Hana said, not looking like she bought the lie.

"So that's why Gokudera-kun was being so mean earlier," Kyoko said. "Well, at least the misunderstanding's gone, now everyone can get along."

"Yeah…Anyways, I have to go now," Tsuna said. "I have prior arrangements. See everyone tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko replied.

"Come to school in one piece," Hana said.

_**Outside of Namimori**_

Hayato stared at the store that was in front of him, Tsuna and Reborn. "Jyuudaime, what are we doing here?"

The store looked run-down. Its sign, _Undertaker_, was cracked at certain places and looked as if a light shook of the earth would crumble it into pieces. In fact, the entire store itself resembled the sign, cracks all over the place, looking as if a stampede nearby would cause it to crumble to pieces. If the sign didn't explain what the store's profession was, then the rundown moldy coffin or the cracked granite tombstone would explain it.

"Because I'm looking for information and the person who works here will give me the information I need," Tsuna replied.

"Information you need?" Reborn repeated.

"Yeah. The mansion is going to be a temporary home to a certain individual and I figured it was best to gather some info on that individual," Tsuna explained.

"But why gather information?" Reborn asked.

"Is the individual dangerous?" Hayato added, alarmed.

"Depends on your definition of dangerous," Tsuna simply replied. The cross-dresser reached for the door, but her self-proclaimed subordinate stopped her.

"Jyuudaime, even if this place is deserted, it's best if I check the place first," Hayato said.

"But anyone who have tried to come here have been scared away," Tsuna argued.

"No! I'll go in first!" Hayato said firmly.

"But-"

"Let your subordinate do the dirty work," Reborn stepped in. Hayato went inside.

Tsuna sighed deeply. "He'll be out crying in seconds."

A yell came from inside while a creepy laugh echoed after it.

"Jyuudaime! There's a living corpse inside one of the coffins!" Hayato cried. "It's best that we don't go in there at all! We'll have to-oof!"

Hayato's face was met with Tsuna's fist. He clutched his bleeding nose as Tsuna reached for the door.

"This is why I said there's no need to worry," Tsuna replied, opening for the door as Hayato tried to stop her; he only received a kick to the sides. "Undertaker's so scary to the point where even an up-coming Mafioso gets scared, so what's the point of checking to see if this place is safe?"

Tsuna opened the door and entered. Reborn dragged the injured Hayato after her. Reborn looked around, Hayato even more while Tsuna looked as if saying 'This is ridiculous.' There were coffins on the walls and the floors. Luckily, there was enough room for people to walk around. Everywhere was run down and dirty. Cobwebs littered the walls. If there wasn't a figure hunched over one of the coffins, laughing his ass off, Reborn would've thought that the place was haunted.

"There he is, Jyuudaime. The living corpse!" Hayato whispered loudly to Tsuna. "Maybe the Undertaker of this place was killed by him."

"That would be impossible because he _is_ the Undertaker," Tsuna replied.

"…_Hee hee…I knew…that you would come…"_ the hunched figure said, raising his face. _"Wel~come, little butler…"_ His long silvery hair covered his eyes from view, but you can see a long scar from his right cheek vanishing into his bangs. His clothes looked as if they were from the Victorian era: a top hat where there was extra cloth to flow from the top to his hip, black from top to bottom, including his high heels and long nails, the only color was his super dark purple sash that was carried over his shoulder like a bag and his large diamond ring.

"_Would your friend like to see how it feels to sleep in my custom-made coffin…?"_ Undertaker asked, rubbing one of his coffins.

"The hell I want to see how to sleep like a corpse!" Hayato cried. "And what do you mean by 'little butler'?"

"I didn't come here to play today…" Tsuna began, but Undertaker pressed his index finger against her lips.

"You don't need to tell me," Undertaker said. "I know why you came. With just one look, I can tell what's on your mind. Since the little butler went out of his way to visit me, I'll certainly do everything I can to help."

"You already have information?" Tsuna asked.

"Please take a seat first," Undertaker said. "I'll go make tea."

"Sit where?" Reborn wondered. As far as anyone can see, there are only coffins.

"Why not just sit on top?" Undertaker suggested.

Tsuna complied, taking a seat on the nearest coffin. Hayato and Reborn followed suit. Undertaker passed around beakers, filled with piping hot tea. Tsuna left hers alone, setting it beside her. Reborn and Hayato copied her example. Even if Tsuna says that he's trustworthy, who knows what the eccentric man's been doing with the beakers besides filling them up with tea. The eccentric man himself was eating dog biscuits-shaped cookies from a small pot with a Christian cross on it.

"This individual you're going to employ at the mansion is very dangerous, little butler," Undertaker commented. "Are you sure that you will take him?"

"Of course I'm sure. It's an order from the master, after all," Tsuna replied.

"'Master', 'Very dangerous?'" Hayato repeated. "Jyuudaime, are you sure you want this-this dangerous guy working with you? If you need more people, I'm more than honored to work, too."

"I don't need a person who'll get in the way of work," Tsuna replied. A large boulder that said 'person who'll get in the way' crashed into Hayato's head. "And besides, it was a friend of the master's who begged him to have this individual employed at the mansion, so it cannot be ignored."

"How dangerous is the individual?" Reborn asked.

"Well now, I wonder how dangerous," Undertaker said. "I wonder how dangerous indeed. Is it bothering you?"

"I just wanted to know if he's got any accomplices," Tsuna said. "So that I can employ them at the mansion, too, if the situation arises."

"No! Jyuudaime, we must know how dangerous these guys are!" Hayato argued. "After all, what would happen if they killed everyone?"

"I doubt that would happen," Tsuna replied.

"But it seems that you're good at making business, Undertaker," Reborn commented. "How much money do you want for this information, and more?"

"How much money!" Undertaker spat. "I don't want any of the 'feudal lord's' money!" he growled, going up in Reborn's face. He turned to Tsuna, "Now then, little butler…I only have one requirement…Show me a 'first-rate laugh.' If you do, no matter what you want to know, I'll tell you…!" Undertaker drooled at the thought of the laughs that he'll be having later.

"Weirdo," Hayato breathed. Tsuna made no comment as the fact is oh-so true.

"Well, then, Hayato, you've got your first assignment," Reborn said. "Make him laugh."

'_Of course! If I could make him laugh, then Jyuudaime would be so impressed that he wouldn't need the dangerous individual to work with him!'_ thought Hayato. "Then, Jyuudaime, let it to me!"

Facing Undertaker, Hayato paused. Silence took over the scene and it took a while before Hayato confessed that he had never told a joke before.

"*sigh* I'll take care of this," Tsuna said. "You two better stay outside for the moment. No matter what, until I call you two, do not, I repeat, do not look inside."

The two boys were shut outside the store. Moments later, shrieks of laughter shook the store, its sign creaked lopsided. The door opened, revealing Undertaker, rolling on the floor laughing and an embarrassed Tsuna.

"So what did you do?" Reborn asked curiously.

Tsuna grabbed the front of his baby-sized suit and growled, "If you value your life and wish to tutor young heirs of various mafia families, then you won't ask at all."

Tsuna set the stiff, pale Reborn next to her on one of the coffins. Hayato hesitantly took his seat on her other side.

"Remind me again, what is it that you wanted to know, little butler?" Undertaker asked.

"I want to know how many people are with the individual, Rokudo Mukuro," Tsuna said.

The name was etched in Reborn's and Hayato's memory.

"Rokudo Mukuro, eh?" Undertaker said excitedly. "He always made my business boom. Although the 'guests' aren't cute, the ways they've died are spectacular. Anyways, rumors are that he's got two subordinates under him. Since he's in prison now, he's probably got more."

"More than two…Thank you very much, Undertaker," Tsuna said, standing up. "I have to go now."

"Wait! Jyuudaime! Shouldn't you know more about the way people have been killed by the Rokudo Mukuro bastard?" Hayato asked lividly, wondering why his precious boss wouldn't ask for more information when his safety is on the line.

"I care not for the employee's past, use of weapons or ways of killing," Tsuna replied. "I only care for their ability to finish their jobs and how much pride they would put in their work. Sorry for intruding, Undertaker."

Tsuna left the building. Not wanting to be left alone with the creepy funeral director, Hayato and Reborn quickly followed after. As soon as they took one step outside the door, Tsuna was already running down the road back to Namimori.

"Wait! Jyuudaime!" Hayato called after, he and Reborn chasing the cross-dressing girl.

"Why are you in a hurry?" Reborn asked.

"I'm late for work," Tsuna calmly replied. "Furthermore, Master Zangetsu expects Rokudo Mukuro and his subordinates to be employed by the end of the week."

'_By the end of the week…'_ Reborn repeated in his mind.

_**Mansion**_

Hayato wasn't impressed by the vastness of the mansion, but he was slightly interested in the difference of furnishings in each room.

"Hayato, don't get lost, okay?" Tsuna's voice entered his mind. "Just stay here in the kitchen. Help out Zakuro if he asks you, all right."

"Bu-but I'd rather help you, Jyuudaime!" Hayato protested.

"Please…if we could all help Tsuna, we wouldn't have been arranged certain jobs," Zakuro complained. "You're staying in here with me, whether you and I like it or not. Once Tsuna here sets down the job for people, it's final."

"Furthermore, Hayato, if you really do want to be a good subordinate, do as I say, and without questions, got it?" Tsuna said firmly.

Defeated, Hayato hung his head. "Un-understood, Jyuudaime."

Satisfied, Tsunayoshi left the kitchen.

"By the way, what's 'Jyuudaime'?" Zakuro asked.

"'Jyuudaime' is 'Jyuudaime'!" Hayato spat. "People who aren't involved in the mafia should just quit this place."

Hayato saw stars as soon as Zakuro hit his head with a pan. "Have you done your homework at all? The master of this place used to be a former yakuza, Japanese version of the mafia. Can you still say that anyone here is not involved in the underworld?"

Hayato was silenced. "What does Jyuudaime do here, anyways?"

"Tsuna's the butler, so a lot of things. It's best not to get in the way, otherwise you'll get a scolding worse than anyone's ever given you," Zakuro explained. "Better get started on dinner now. Help me mash these potatoes."

_**Tsuna**_

"…As such, the new employees will be here sooner or later," Tsuna informed Zangetsu. She found Zangetsu in one of his Zen mediating rooms with Kikyo and Torikabuto.

"I understand," Zangetsu said, calmly as if his mansion isn't going to be a home to a mass murder. But Daisy's already a mass murder, so one more doesn't matter. In fact, a couple more won't matter either because who knows how much more subordinates Rokudo Mukuro has.

"Who's that hotheaded brat in the kitchens?" Zangetsu asked.

"Someone from Italy," Tsuna explained. "Apparently, Reborn asked him over and somehow he became my 'subordinate', no matter how I refuse the term of this relationship."

"Besides, if you wanted subordinates, any of us would suffice, including Torikabuto," Kikyo commented.

"I know, but that hasn't gotten through Reborn's thick skull," Tsuna said.

Yells were echoed from the direction of the kitchen.

"I'd better go see what happened," Tsuna said.

"I'll stay with Master Zangetsu," Kikyo assured Tsuna.

Tsuna opened the door to the kitchen, followed by Bluebell and Daisy. "What happened?" was on the tip of her tongue, but wasn't asked due to the scene Tsuna saw.

Zakuro was lying flat on his back while Hayato was on his front. The stove was destroyed, no longer usable or fixable.

"What…in the world…happened here?" Tsunayoshi asked slowly, pointing at the destroyed stove while glaring at the two men.

"This brat was muttering some high-level math and didn't tell me that he added too much oil. Who knew that spices would combust at a high level of heat with too much oil?" Zakuro explained.

"So what if I'm not in the kitchen?" Hayato cried. "My scary sister was in the kitchen all the time, so I avoided there!"

"In other words, you're clumsy in a kitchen," Zakuro said listlessly.

"Shut up!" Hayato shouted.

"Daisy, will you take Hayato for the time being?" Tsuna suggested.

"Okay. I need some help watering the plants in the greenhouses anyways," Daisy replied.

"Why can't I help you, Jyuudaime?" Hayato asked.

"Because I'm just cleaning various rooms of the mansion," Tsuna explained. "Some of the rooms hold antiques that aren't replaceable, so I can't have someone who's not used to working like this help out."

"Off you go," Zakuro shooed Hayato away. Hayato, shocked at the information that Tsuna held, was dragged by Daisy.

"You knew that he was inexperienced in working like this?" Zakuro asked.

"No. That was just a 50/50 chance guess that he isn't," Tsuna replied. "After all, when everyone is born, they can't all be naturals, so I just guessed that Hayato didn't have an easy childhood, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up being part of a mafia family at such a young age."

"So there's also the chance that his childhood was similar to yours?" Bluebell cautiously asked.

Tsuna thought about her answer before saying, "Yeah, there's the possibly. Rokudo Mukuro's childhood is no doubt worse than mine and Hayato's put together, though."

_**Reborn**_

Before dinner started at both the mansion and the Sawada house, he took Hayato to see Tsuna's mom.

"Oh, so you'll be Tsu-chan's new best friend," Nana commented. "How nice. I'm always telling that child of mine that she should be getting some friends her own age. After all, she can't always act like an adult."

"Wait. 'She'?" Hayato asked.

"Eh? You mean, you don't know that Tsu-chan's a girl?" Nana asked as Hayato's color changed to a pale white.

"Reborn-san, how could you not have told me that Jyuudaime's a f-fe-female!" Hayato demanded as politely as he could.

"It was more amusing not to," was Reborn's answer. "Besides, it seems that she wanted to keep her gender a secret, so make sure that nobody knows."

"I won't ever tell anyone, even if it costs me my life," Hayato promised.

Nana just listened to the conversation, not taking part in it.

_**After dinner**_

"So, how's the information gathering, Dino?" Reborn asked into his cell phone.

Dino was his student before Tsuna, that is, if Tsuna really is his student. Dino became the head of his family before Reborn left, so Reborn considered his job done, especially since Dino's successfully raised his family from the ground back to the top. Now their family's the third strongest in the Alliance.

"Well, because you suddenly came up with the request, so information's not altogether yet," Dino's voice replied from the phone. "Anyways, the information so far says that Rokudo Mukuro was captured recently. He has two subordinates and never had his picture taken, so nobody knows what he or his subordinates look like. According to the information, he's currently jailed here in Italy at a high security prison reserved only for the most terrible mafia criminals who have committed the most heinous crimes. By the way, why do you want this information?"

"Did your information say anything about him being released by the end of the week?" Reborn asked.

"Eh? Released? Reborn, I just said that he got jailed recently," Dino argued. "Why would anyone let go of a dangerous criminal so soon?"

"Wait. You mean to say that, he's never meant to be released?"

"Yeah. Even if we gather all the information, I don't think there's any information that would say that this Rokudo Mukuro will be released from jail."

"Then how in the world is he supposed to be in Japan by the end of the week if he's jailed at one of the highest security prisons in Italy?"

"Wait. Reborn, what's going on?"

"Dino, keep tabs on that Rokudo Mukuro. Let me know if there are any changes immediately."

"Eh? Wha, wait-" Reborn ended the call.

'_If he's in jail, then why would he be employed at the mansion?'_ Reborn thought. _'The guest who wanted Rokudo Mukuro out…who was he?'_

_**Late that night**_

After giving the master his tea, after everyone in the mansion went to sleep, after those at the Sawada household went to bed, after Hayato found a place to sleep the night, Tsunayoshi set off on a journey to fetch the newest addition of the Zangetsu staff.

Running on the ocean as if it was ground, jumping massive leaps over buildings to the point where one would believe that she was the devil, and finally, making it to Italy in two hours. Upon Italy, Tsunayoshi made it to the high security prison where Rokudo Mukuro was imprisoned.

Taking out some of Hayato's bombs, she lit them and threw them accurately at random places of the prison. Alarms rang throughout the prison. Risks went taken to make sure that it was not a raid, make sure that no one was getting out. However, no matter what the place, there was bound to be chaos.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Tsunayoshi put on her skull mask with red markings and entered the prison. Once entering, officers aimed their guns at her, but they never shot. They were more afraid of the aura she let out, they were afraid of the outcome if they tried to shoot her. Even the prisoners were frightened. At first the mixed reactions were gleeful, confused, but as soon as Tsunayoshi came within premises, they felt…cold, darkness, darkness darker than black.

Tsunayoshi searched for the new employee as fast as she could. Finally, in the deepest cells of the prison, she found him, 'Rokudo Mukuro'. He was sitting in a cell by himself. A man in his twenties, dark, tall and some scars on the right side of his face. Tsunayoshi retracted her aura, minimized it, just in case.

"Odd," Tsunayoshi commented behind her mask. "I thought you'd have your two friends with you inside there."

"What do you mean?" asked 'Rokudo Mukuro'.

"Didn't you have two friends following you?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Hey! Don't talk as if we're not here!" shouted a voice from Tsunayoshi's left.

Tsunayoshi turned and saw a boy her age with blond hair and looked like a dog.

"Yeah, it's rude to talk to someone without introducing yourself," a feminine voice added from her right.

The feminine voice came from a redheaded girl whose cellmate was a boy with glasses.

"I am a butler from the Zangetsu mansion," Tsunayoshi said. "A friend of the master's said that they recommended Rokudo Mukuro. You," Tsunayoshi nodded that the man, "are Rokudo Mukuro, correct?"

"Yeah…I am…" the man replied.

"On behalf of Master Zangetsu, we would like to employ you," Tsunayoshi said. "We offer full pay as well as days off and sick leave. You may stay at the mansion or a place of your own if you like."

Laughter came from each cell.

"Employ? What era are you from?" the redheaded girl asked, hands clutching her stomach from laughter.

"More like, who is this 'Zangetsu'?" the boy with the glasses asked. "And who is this person who recommended Mukuro-sama?"

"'Mukuro-sama'?" Tsunayoshi repeated. She gestured at the man. "You mean to say that this man is not Rokudo Mukuro?"

Laughter shrunk to a minimum. "Of course, he is Rokudo Mukuro."

"Really? Then," Tsunayoshi turned to the man, "Rokudo Mukuro, would you like to leave this place? Of course, if there's anyone else that you would like to accompany you, then please introduce us. I would hate to be the person who separated you from your beloved friends."

'Rokudo Mukuro' stood still for a moment and asked, "You can get us out of here?"

"Of course I can," Tsuna replied, as if insulted that he thought she couldn't. "If I, a butler of the Zangetsu household, could not do such a thing, then how in the world could I not get in or get out?"

"Hey. You're bragging a lot for someone who thinks they can just waltz in and break out one of our highest prisoners," said a voice behind Tsunayoshi. Then a gunshot echoed.

"Oh? You were here?" Tsunayoshi said. The bullet that was meant to take her life was stopped in mid-air. Tsunayoshi made a gesture to the bullet and it tilted towards a different direction.

"Bang!" Tsunayoshi sounded and the bullet took off, running into 'Rokudo Mukuro's lock, rendering it useless. "Huh. Looks like this cell won't be in any use anymore unless you change the lock. Oh, well."

Tsunayoshi grabbed hold of the bars and yanked on it, the door to the cell coming apart from the cell itself. She threw the door behind her. Hearing a yell, she assumed that it crashed into the officer who tried to shoot her earlier.

Tsunayoshi held out her held, "Would you like to come with me?"

Hesitantly, 'Rokudo Mukuro' took her hand.

"Is there anyone you would like to take with us?" Tsunayoshi asked.

'Rokudo Mukuro' thought about it and said, "Yes, the people in these cells." 'Rokudo Mukuro' gestured to the cells on Tsunayoshi's left and right and also the cells next to them.

"All right! We're getting out of here!" the blond boy cheered.

"Really? This was fast," commented an old man in the cell next to the blond boy's.

"Not so fast," said the redheaded girl.

"Yes?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"What is your pay?" the girl asked.

"Why do you care?" the blond boy exclaimed.

"Because it's money that makes the world go round!" The girl replied. "If the pay isn't high then, I'll just stay here."

"And since 'Rokudo Mukuro' wants you out, then you'll be forced against your will to be out," Tsunayoshi said.

"What?"

"Anyways, the pay is 50,000 yen a month," Tsunayoshi answered. "Does the pay satisfy you?"

"Hell no!" the girl replied. "That's cheap!"

"Well, if the job at this Zangetsu mansion is basically a job among the servents, then it's actually quite high," the boy with the glasses explained.

"Even so, this is 'Rokudo Mukuro'!" the girl cried. "You want him to work for you with such a cheap pay, then buzz off!"

"'Rokudo Mukuro', are you satisfied with this pay?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Yes. I am," 'Rokudo Mukuro' replied.

Tsunayoshi smiled. "Then let's go, everyone." Tsunayoshi went to each cell and yanked off the doors to them.

"Excuse me. Could you please take them along with us?" the old man asked, gesturing to the cell across him.

Tsunayoshi saw that the people occupying the cell were a pair of twins with restraining jackets and stitches in their mouths.

"Notice their cute faces?" asked the old man. "This is a result of staying like this for the past ten years without being let out."

Ignoring the old man, Tsunayoshi ripped the jackets off of the twins and everyone went out. Tsunayoshi counted that the number of people, 7, that she'll be taking with her, including 'Rokudo Mukuro'. Tsunayoshi observed each people: the redheaded girl, the blond boy, the glasses boy, the old man, and the pair of twins.

Tsunayoshi smiled. _'Seems like we'll all be missing those boring days where our only worry was making sure that our guest receives good tea.'_

"Hey! Don't move!" a voice shouted from down the hall.

Tsunayoshi and everyone else saw a row of officers pointing guns and rifles at them.

"Hey. Not to sound weak or anything, but how are we going to get out of here?" the redheaded girl asked.

"Depends on whether we're surrounded or not," Tsunayoshi replied.

"You mean, you only intended on only letting 'Rokudo Mukuro' out?" the redheaded girl shouted.

"What I mean is, are there going to be people behind us, to the right of us, or the left of us?" Tsunayoshi explained.

"Well _duh_, this is a high security prison," the redheaded girl said. "As long as we'll still here, prisoner officers are going to be left and right, behind and below. So how are we going to get out of here?"

"The only way out, of course," Tsunayoshi replied, pointing up.

"And how are we going to do that?" the glasses boy asked. "There's another floor up there."

"Then we'll just blast our way through it," Tsunayoshi took out another one of Hayato's dynamites and threw it up. "Heads up!"

She ducked, covering her head, the others following her example.

_**Boom!**_

Rubble fell on them as the officers were crashed into confusion. Then Tsunayoshi took out a large Christian cross from the inside of her jacket. She raised it and swung it down, a long strand of leather coming from the top of the cross. Tsunayoshi raised it again, only to attack the top roof, causing more debris to rain down on the group.

Then Tsunayoshi rested the long leather among them. "Hold on tight, if you don't want to fly all over the place."

The second that everyone grabbed on, Tsunayoshi raised her cross-like whip and they all flew into the air, through the hole in the roof. Tsunayoshi followed the flying group in the fashion of a leap.

"Hey! We're gonna fall!" the redheaded girl cried.

Tsunayoshi threw seeds at the ground. The group could only exclaim in surprise as flowers the size of small trees grew before their very eyes. Everyone managed to land on pollen, the blond boy sneezed.

"Now we're out," Tsunayoshi said.

"Not for long," the glasses boy argued, pointing to the prison where there were officers coming their way.

"Everyone, run towards over there! Don't stop, even if you think you're running into nothing!" Tsunayoshi shouted, pointing towards the end of the large flower patch. "Once we get over there, we'll be on our way to Japan."

"Japan!" the redheaded girl and the blond boy exclaimed. "You mean, you came all the way from Japan!"

"Let's just go," the glasses boy said.

Everyone ran for the end of the flowers with little difficulty as the flower petals were very sturdy for something so soft. Tsunayoshi ran the lead. When she got to the end, she waited for everyone.

As soon as everyone got within three feet of her, Tsunayoshi pulled out a large cloth and obsured everyone's vision. The loud ones, namely the blond boy and the redheaded girl, screamed while the rest are in surprise. Tsunayoshi grabbed on tight to the cloth as it curled over everyone into a tight-knit clothed ball. She rolled everyone down the leather of her whip and whipped everyone into the air. Tsunayoshi followed after them, leaping into the air next to the clothed ball.

Tsunayoshi uncurled it and straightened it out. This was one of Ol' Hat-and-Clogs' inventions, similar to a flying rug. As long as someone with a strong will leads the cloth, everyone else will be safe, not even atmospheric elevation will bother them.

After the shock of being clumped inside a large clothed ball, everyone realized that they were in the air.

"Hey! How could this be real!" the blond boy cried.

"What are we, going to India or Japan?" the redheaded girl demanded.

"We're going to Japan, of course," Tsunayoshi replied calmly. "Didn't I say that?"

"Before we go to Japan, there's still one more person we have to pick up," the glasses boy said.

"We do, 'Rokudo Mukuro'?" Tsunayoshi asked.

'Rokudo Mukuro' nodded. "Then where is this person?"

"He'll be meeting us at the forest down there," 'Rokudo Mukuro' said, gesturing towards the forest below them.

Tsunayoshi guided the cloth down, dodging tall trees. She paused the cloth. "Now, this is a dilemma. Should 'Rokudo Mukuro-san' go down himself, or should I go?"

"You go then," the glasses boy said.

"All right. Then please describe the person we're picking up."

"We don't have to because he's right behind you," the redheaded girl replied, smirking.

Tsunayoshi turned around and saw a boy with dark blue hair and mismatched eyes, smiling creepily at her. He raised a trident-like knife and stabbed her.

And here's the cliff-hanger. So sorry. I hate them, too, but it was the only way I could get this off and out to you guys. It's over 16 pages, so maybe it'll satisfy you guys. I'm supposed to be studying for my Psy exam, but who can when all I really want is to get his out of my head! After this is out, I'll be working on the Tsunayoshi series. I know I said that I won't be updating for a long while, but if I think about it now. the series, including this one won't be completed for a long, long while. Which means I won't be uploading the next chapter of Tsunayoshi until sometime after the Fanime Con.

Speaking of which, I'm going to the Fanime Con! I'm so happy! I'm going with friends this time! The Fanime Con's in San Jose McEnery Convention Center, right in the middle of hotels, public transportations, and more! I heard that FLOW is going there, too and a number of other famous anime/manga creaters, too. Too bad, I won't be able to stay for the last day, though. I'm going to Taiwan then for two weeks. It's either those two weeks at Taiwan or I'm not going to Taiwan at all, which means no summer school. Bummer, I needed to take another semster of Art class. This is what I get for not applying for summer school last year. At least that had meant plenty of time on the fanfics.

by the way, how's my take on Undertaker. Not too bad? or should I put him in more?

P.S. no poll until the series are close to over, I think that's what I said in my last couple of updated chapters.

P.S.S. If anyone's going to the Fanime Con, look for a girl with an 'Alcatraz Outpatient' cap and a camera. and maybe a dark pink shoulder bag. (I didn't chose the color)


	4. Chapter 4: Butler and New Employees

"Good morning!" Bluebell said.

"Pipe down! It's too early in the morning," Zakuro complained.

"Eh?" Bluebell looked around, only seeing Daisy and Zakuro. "Where's Tsuna? She's usually in here before I do."

"Apparently, our house butler was sent away on our master's orders, so she may not be able to be back for a day or so," Kikyo explained, coming into the kitchen.

"Not to worry, I'm here," Tsunayoshi said, coming in after Kikyo. "Kikyo, lend me your clipboard."

Kikyo handed the child his clipboard. Tsunayoshi looked over it. "I see. This will be all that concerns our duties for today. However, there is something that I'd like everyone to know. There will be an increase in employees at this mansion."

"Really?" Daisy and Bluebell shouted, surprised. Zakuro and Kikyo both had astonished looks.

"Please come in," Tsunayoshi called out to the door behind her.

A group of people came out from the door. A blonde haired boy, a boy with glasses, an old man, a pair of twins, a rugged man and a boy with dark blue hair that covered his right eye wore the footman uniform, similar to what Kikyo's wearing, a business suit with a tailcoat. The redheaded girl was wearing the maid outfit, but not what Bluebell was wearing, a black long-sleeved shirt that matched the miniskirt, exposed garters and low high heel boots; she refuses to wear the frill or the bow that's intended for her hair.

Tsunayoshi walked over to them. "Introduce yourselves loud and clear," Tsunayoshi said, clapping Ken's back to straighten him. "And straighten up your back."

"Ken Joshima!" the blonde boy said.

"Chikusa Kakimoto," the boy with the glasses followed after.

"I am Birds," the old man said. He gestured to the twins. "These twins are mine, Jiji and Didi."

The rugged man said, "Rokudo Mukuro."

"I'm 'Dokuro'," said the boy with the covered eye.

"Name's M.M.," said the redheaded girl. "Hey! Do I actually have to wear this?"

"Of course you have to!" Bluebell cried, getting up in M.M.'s face. "While you're working in this mansion, paid and living here, you have to wear the uniform. And where is your head piece? If I have to wear one, then you have to wear one, too."

"But you may alter it to your liking as long as it's not too much of an improvisation," Kikyo added. "Just like what you're wearing now is different from Bluebell's."

M.M. looked at Bluebell's uniform: a dress with a pinafore, a frill in her hair, and boots with low high heels. "Wearing a dress just means you're still a kid," M.M. commented.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm at least 10!" Bluebell yelled.

"You're a kid?!" M.M. exclaimed in disbelief.

Tsunayoshi clapped her hands, quieting the commotion and gaining everyone's attention. "All right. Introductions are over. Now, let's all get into our duties."

"Understood!" Bluebell, Daisy, Zakuro and Kikyo said.

The teenage butler turned to the new employees. "M.M., since you're new, please stick to Bluebell."

"I have to work with the brat?" M.M. asked.

"First, it was 'kid'! Then it's 'brat'?" Bluebell cried in protest. "Keep it down to one! Come on!" Bluebell, despite protests from M.M., dragged her from the kitchen to the hallways of the mansion.

"Joshima-kun, Kakimoto-kun, please head to the gardens with Daisy," Tsunayoshi asked.

"I see. I understand," Chikusa said.

"I don't wanna take care of some flowers!" complained Ken. "And why am I here, too!"

"Because 'Mukuro-san' wanted you to come along with him," Tsunayoshi explained.

"Ken, let's just go," Chikusa said. Unwillingly, the blond boy followed Chikusa and Daisy to the gardens.

"Then, 'Mukuro-san', please help Kikyo with the master's schedule," Tsunayoshi requested.

"All right," 'Mukuro' replied.

"We'll have to go to the master's study," Kikyo said, leading the way out of the kitchen.

"The rest of you, please help Zakuro with breakfast," Tsunayoshi inquired.

"Okay," Birds alleged. The twins couldn't say anything, but they stuck with the old man.

"I understand," 'Dokuro' added.

Deeming everything taken care of, Tsunayoshi went to wake up the master. The teenage butler opened the curtains and called for the master, "Master Zangetsu, it's time to wake up now."

The master woke up and sat up in his English bed. "Good morning."

"Today's breakfast of poached salmon and mint salad has been prepared. Side dishes consist of toast, scones, and muffins. Which would you prefer?"

"Toast," was Zangetsu's curt reply as he changed out of his pajamas.

"We have made Ceylon tea. It will be served with the rest of your breakfast."

"Is there anything new?" Zangetsu asked as he was followed by Tsunayoshi out of his bedroom.

"There is a total of seven new employees starting today," Tsunayoshi answered.

"Seven?"

"I'm afraid I was a little confused on who it was you wanted to keep prisoner, so I decided to employ him," Tsunayoshi explained. "No need to worry, he'll be a prisoner by the end of the week."

"All right then," Zangetsu said.

"And also, I will be here for the entire day, to ensure that our new employees get used to here."

"Understood."

At the head of the long table in the dining room was Zangetsu's breakfast: poached salmon, mint salad, toast, and Ceylon tea.

Peeking at the master were Zakuro, 'Dokuro', Birds, and the twins in the kitchen doorway.

"He's the master of this house?" 'Dokuro' asked.

"Yeah," Zakuro replied. "Other than the fact that he's retired, I don't know much about him."

"Eh? But surely you know something else," Birds said.

"You want more information, ask that butler; that kid's the informative."

"Kid?" 'Dokuro' repeated.

"Yeah, I'm older than that butler, but the butler's been here longer than I have."

"I see. By the way, why are we peeking?" 'Dokuro' asked.

"You're the one who wanted to know who the master is," Zakuro answered. "Anyways, you guys can rest. We'll get ready on lunch in an hour. I'll check inventory first."

"Thank you," Birds said.

"Can I check inventory with you, Zakuro-san?" 'Dokuro' asked.

"Wow, you've got enthusiasm. I like that, sure, come with me," Zakuro replied, taking a clipboard with him.

The girls were going to do laundry. "We start the laundry by separating the dark and lights, if we were to mix them, the rest of the clothes will get stained and ruined. Some of the clothes need to be dry-cleaned."

"I got it. I know at least that much, old hag," M.M. replied.

"Quit it with the 'old hag'!" Bluebell cried. "I'm not that much older than you!"

"Who cares? An old hag's an old hag," M.M. said, separating the darks from the lights, which isn't much.

"Then I guess a brat's a clueless brat who gets locked up in jail too often," Bluebell replied.

"Why you—"

"I already separated the clothes that need to be dry-cleaned," Bluebell interrupted, taking a basket of clothes. "You wash the rest of the clothes in the laundry machines over there. The dryer's on the other side. Wash the bed spreads while you're at it."

Bluebell left the room, leaving M.M. in fury. But the thought of 'Mukuro's' paycheck calmed her down a little. She went back to taking care of the laundry.

"Sorry, but I have to ask you, do you know the difference between the weeds from a flower without its bud?" Daisy asked the two boys.

"Somewhat," Chikusa said.

"Nope," Ken replied.

"Okay then. Chikusa, start on weeding the gardens. Ken, you water the plants," Daisy ordered, hanging Chikusa a pair of gloves and a basket to hold the weeds, and Ken a water can. "The hose is right over here. I'll be in the greenhouse over there. Call me if you have any questions."

"Start weeding the gardens…" Chikusa looked at the vast garden and saw a perfect garden. He couldn't see any weeds. "How am I supposed to weed the gardens if there aren't any weeds?"

"Oi! Kakipii, help me!" his friend cried.

Chikusa turned around and saw that Ken was struggling with the hose and the water can.

"Ken, what are you doing?" Chikusa asked.

"I'm trying to fill the can with water, but this hose started attacking me!" Ken cried.

"I don't think a hose can move on its own."

"Whatever, Kakipii! Just help me!"

"All right." Chikusa untangled Ken from the hose and filled the water can.

_**School**_

Hayato came to class late again. The teacher, Nezu-sensei, came to his habit of belittling anyone who fails a test or disobeys a school rule based off his high-class Tokyo university credentials. The teacher would drone on about his credentials and systematically destroy struggling students with a few well-placed words.

"Gokudera, you're late!" Nezu-sensei said.

"So what? I can come in whenever I want," Hayato growled.

The teacher cowered at the teacher's podium. Everyone in class whispered about how scary Hayato is while his fan girls squeal in delight.

Hayato searched for Tsuna, but found his Jyuudaimehime absent. "Hey, where's Jyuudaime?"

"Jyuudaime?" repeated the class.

"The one who sits here everyday," Hayato said, pointing at Tsuna's desk.

"Eh? Sawada? He's absent today," said the class president.

"That's odd; he's never absent," commented a classmate.

"Maybe he got a cold," suggested another classmate.

"No way. I'd say he got ambushed by Hibari-san and got bitten to death," theorized a third classmate.

"Yeah, that's true. Hibari-san has his eye on Sawada," a fourth classmate agreed.

"Who is Hibari!" Hayato demanded.

"Our school's Disciplinary Committee's head prefect, Hibari-san," the class president explained.

"You have to be careful, Gokudera-kun," said one of Hayato's fan girls. "Hibari-san follows the school rules strictly and if he catches you like this, he might bite you to death."

"I don't care. He might have gotten Jyuudaime!" Hayato cried, running out of the classroom.

"Jyuudaime? He means Sawada?" a classmate pondered out loud.

Everyone started whispering frantically. Kyoko and Hana heard some theories of how Tsuna beat up Hayato and made him his lackey or that both are childhood yakuza buddies.

"This is just hypothetically speaking of course, but say, there is a delinquent who carelessly comes in late for class if at all, it would be safe to say that said delinquent would hang out with yakuza trash who just so happens to be absent today. At least that's the opinion of a top grad from Tokyo University," Nezu-sensei commented.

Hayato froze at the doorway in the process of going back to the classroom to get Hibari's information; there was no way that this bastard just insulted his Jyuudaimehime.

"Old man," Hayato said, walking up to the teacher and grabbed him by his collar. "I don't care what you say about me, but no one insults Sawada-Jyuudaime and gets away with it!"

The class could only watch in shock as Hayato choked their teacher with his tie.

"I would use dynamite, but Jyuudaime said that unless there's nobody around, I can't use them because they would harm people," Hayato muttered to himself.

"Um, Gokudera-san, I don't think Tsuna-kun would like it either if you were to harm our teacher," Kyoko spoke up.

"Oi! Don't call Jyuudaime so casually!" Hayato shouted at her.

"Well, don't take your anger out on us!" Hana snapped, standing up. "I'm also angry at our teacher, too, for badmouthing Tsuna and everyone else, but that's no reason to beat him up."

"Of course that's more than enough reason to beat him up!" Hayato cried. "Jyuudaime is not yakuza trash!"

"Well, you're not helping by choking the teacher," Hana said.

Hayato, hearing some truth in Hana's words, let go of the unconscious teacher. "Tch. He's not worth it anyways."

After Nezu got oxygen to his lungs and brain, he shouted, "Gokudera! To the principal's office!"

"You're expelled!" Nezu shouted, pointing at Hayato, who still looked murderous.

"Calm down, Nezu-kun," the principal said.

"How can I stay calm?" the teacher cried. "I was assaulted physically! Gokudera-san should be expelled immediately with joint responsibility!"

"But to expel him now might be too hasty…," the principal argued.

"Fine then, give him a school suspension would do," Nezu said.

Then Nezu got an idea. "Principal, if I recall, there was a 15 year old time capsule buried in the playground that couldn't be found, and you were going to have professionals dig it up."

"Ah, yes. What about it?"

"Let's have Gokudera-san do it," Nezu proposed. "If he can dig up the 15 year old time capsule by today, then this issue will be forgiven, but if he doesn't, expelled immediately!"

"Damn that bastard!" Hayato cursed, after getting out of the office.

"If you don't dig up that time capsule, Tsuna's going to be disappointed," a voice said from behind him, making him jump.

"Wh-who's there?" Hayato demanded.

"I'm right here," Reborn's voice came from the fire cabinet. Hayato looked and saw that the baby became even smaller, and was apparently standing in a small circle above the fire cabinet. Something came flying towards him and hit him right in the eye.

"Gah!" Hayato exclaimed, as he saw the small figure of Reborn turn into the chameleon that was always sitting on Reborn's hat in a small puff of smoke.

"This is Leon," Reborn explained as he stepped out from the cabinet, revealing a whole-room—one that couldn't possibly fit into such a small space—behind him, "The form-memorizing chameleon. You probably didn't notice him because he was concealing his presence, but he was with me the whole time."

"Reborn-san!" Hayato cried. He carefully felt his eye to make sure no permanent damage had been done.

"What do you mean Jyuudaime would be disappointed?" Hayato asked.

"Because of you, Tsuna got to have good times at school," Reborn explained, making up a sob story. "Because of the secret, Tsuna wasn't able to have much friends. With you around, Tsuna could breathe a little. Without you here, Tsuna won't be…"

Hayato was crying tears and interrupted, "I had no idea that Jyuudaime had such a sad time in school! Things turned out like this without me not knowing that he didn't want to be expelled that badly! Since things are like this, I'll dig up the time capsule at any cost!"

Reborn smirked. _'Now all that's left is to get Tsuna over. Why isn't she at school anyway?'_

Hayato was muttering to himself, gathering all the dynamite he had on his person, "If I blow up the ground with these, it'll be fast!"

Hayato ran off towards the direction of the playground. Reborn smirked and walked after him, taking his time. He paused when he heard voices from the teacher's lounge.

"Man, you are one messed-up guy, Nezu-sensei, giving the kid hope that he won't be expelled if he finds some time capsule that doesn't even exist; that's just cruel," the gym teacher, Inoue-sensei, said.

"Hah, it's the principal's fault. He's the one who didn't remember that there wasn't a 15 year old time capsule; it just goes to show that he's getting old," Nezu-sensei boasted. "Right now the school board has decided that I'm the next in line; this should be enough to get him sacked. Either way, that brat will be expelled no matter what; I'll only think about letting him stay is if he breaks the playground in half."

Then explosions came from the playground. In the school the students crowded around the windows, trying to see what was going on, wondering about the explosions that had just happened.

Back to the playground, Nezu was running out towards the explosions. "That's Gokudera-san, right!" he shouted as he went. "What're you doing to the playground! It looks like you decided that you want to be expelled immediately!" he came to a complete stop when Hayato showed up out of the smoke right in front of him, holding out three sheets of paper, tests that contained admissibly low scores.

Nezu stared at Hayato in shock as the boy stood there, the papers in his hand shoved into the teacher's face. "The 15 year old time capsule didn't show up, but a 40 year old time capsule came up instead." Hyaato drew something out of the time capsule, more tests.

"Why are the tests of an elite-course guy like you in the time capsule of our ordinary middle school? Hayato asked, showing the extra low scores on the tests that he held, all of which had Nezu's name at the top, "And these scores…what the hell?"

"Th-that's…!" Nezu stuttered out, trying to explain, but it was no use.

That day, Nezu (age 55) was terminated for faking his educational background, saying that he was from an elite-course college when he was actually an F ranked college graduate.

As a reward for uncovering the fraud, Hayato wasn't punished for breaking the playground in half, and wasn't expelled.

"Good, now Jyuudaime won't be so lonely," Hayato commented.

"It's good that you aren't expelled," Reborn added, coming up behind him.

"Reborn-san!" Hayato exclaimed in surprise.

"After school, I'll meet you at the Zangetsu mansion. It seems that Tsuna's busy there," Reborn lied.

"Why can't I go now?"

"Because you might get in the way. Now get to class."

"All right. See you after school, Reborn-san!"

Reborn went back to his fire cabinet room. As if on cue, his phone rang; the caller Dino.

"Dino? You gathered all the information?" Reborn asked.

"Actually, no," Dino replied.

"Useless student," Reborn bluntly commented.

"Hey, I'm gathering info as we speak, but there's actually something that you need to know about."

"What is it?"

"It was a bit hushed up, but there was a jailbreak at the prison 'Rokudo Mukuro' was in last night. It was caused by some unknown individual who wears a skull mask. Along with 'Rokudo Mukuro', the unknown individual took six people from the jail and is now on the run. Nobody knows who that individual is."

"'Rokudo Mukuro' is now free?" Reborn asked.

"Yeah. What's stranger is that the Japanese government bribed the Italian government to hush it up."

"Japanese government?"

"Yeah. By the way, why do you want this information?"

"Because 'Rokudo Mukuro' may be employed at the mansion where the new heir of Vongola is working at by the end of the week."

"What! You mean, the tenth Vongola heir is in danger right now?"

"Probably."

"All right then. I'll get my men and head on over to Japan right now."

"Call me when you get here. I'll direct you to the Sawada household first and then get to the mansion."

"Got it." Then the phone went dead.

Reborn's mind was racing.

"_This individual you're employing is very dangerous, little butler."_

"_What if everyone gets killed?"_

"_I doubt that will happen."_

"_Rokudo Mukuro will be employed at the mansion by the end of the week."_

'_Just what is going on in Tsuna's head?'_

After school, Reborn took Hayato to the mansion.

"Reborn-san, why are we in a hurry?" Hayato asked, running to catch up with the baby.

"It's the duty of the head's right-hand man to know where his boss is at all times," Reborn lied.

"Right!" Hayato sped toward the mansion with new zeal.

Upon the gates, however, he ran into someone.

"Who the hell walks in someone's way?" Hayato cried, yelling at a glasses boy his age.

"Someone who's trying to do his job," the glasses boy replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Oi! Kakipii, what happened?" the blonde boy walked over to them.

"Who are you?" Reborn asked.

"We're new employees here," the blonde answered.

"New employees? Jyuudaime never told me that I could work here, too!" Hayato cried.

"Where is Tsuna?" Reborn asked.

"If you're talking about the head butler, we're not really sure. All we know is that he's inside," 'Kakipii' replied.

Hayato sped towards the mansion, storming inside with Reborn on his trails. "Jyuudaime! Jyuudaime!"

Hayato ran round the corner and knocked laundry all over the place.

"Hey! When you're running, watch where you're going!" yelled Bluebell.

"You watch where you're going!" Hayato yelled back.

"Oh, it's the clumsy-in-a-kitchen guy."

"Don't call me that!" Hayato shouted.

"If you're looking for Tsuna, try looking in the kitchen first," Bluebell told him.

"I was just about to go there," Hayato snapped, about to leave.

"But…" Bluebell grabbed hold of Hayato's collar. "You have to help me clean up the laundry. It's your fault that I have to dry-clean them again."

"I don't have time to dry-clean clothes! I need to see Jyuudaime!"

"If Tsuna found out that you left a mess in the mansion, Tsuna won't even talk to you."

Hayato was silenced and forced himself to help Bluebell.

"Just help M.M. for the time being. I'll take care of the dry-cleaning clothes," Bluebell ordered, side-stepping a red-haired girl.

Hayato found himself in a staring contest with a red-haired girl.

"You look tacky," the red-headed girl commented.

"So, you're in a maid outfit!" Hayato snapped.

"I wouldn't be wearing this if that girly butler didn't force me into this," the red-headed girl replied. "I'd rather wear expensive clothing and purses. Anyways, help me with this. The directions are so confusing."

"Move! I know how a washing machine works!" Hayato cried.

"If that's the case, then you watch things here," M.M. said. "I've already added the detergent."

"When did the new employees come in?" Reborn asked Tsuna, finding her in one of the hallways in the East Wing.

"Last night," Tsuna replied.

"Is Rokudo Mukuro among them?" Reborn asked.

"Probably. I'm not sure," the teenage butler replied.

"What do you mean, 'you're not sure'?"

"Because I'm confused," Tsuna confessed.

"You're confused?"

"Yes."

"Why would you be confused? Just lock up the guy."

"No. I don't feel comfortable locking up a nameless person when I should be locking up someone with a name."

"What?"

"If you stake your name as Boreen, the rare genius mathematician who could solve problems that were said to be impossible to solve, then you should be able to figure out what I just said."

Reborn was left in a stupor, wondering how Tsuna found out about his alias.

An explosion came from the kitchen.

"Is it Hayato?" Tsuna wondered out loud, walking towards the kitchen.

"He ran into the maid," Reborn said, following her.

"Eh? Then, what just happened?" Tsunayoshi asked, upon entering the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry. It was my fault," 'Dokuro' said, coughing to get some soot out of his mouth.

"'Dokuro' here accidently pressed the 'on' button on my flamethrower and the flames pointed at the oven," Zakuro explained, pointing to the destroyed oven.

"Oh, dear. That's the second oven this month," Tsunayoshi complained.

"At least this time wasn't my fault!" Zakuro cried.

"But it was so exciting," commented Birds.

The twins stayed silent.

"Don't worry about the oven, Dokuro," Tsunayoshi said to the boy. "Because of the explosion, I thought it was Hayato."

"I can make sure that clumsy-in-a-kitchen brat will stay away from anything flammable," Zakuro promised.

Tsunayoshi smiled at the comment. "Now we just have to worry how we're going to make dinner without the oven."

"Don't worry," Zakuro said. "I'll just make some beef stew. Hey, Birds! Get the silver pot on the right in that cupboard next to you. Fill it with water and put it on the stove and turn the heat up high. Twins, you go find whatever vegetables available in the storage room. Dokuro, you and I are going to clean up this mess."

"I understand," Birds said, opening up the cupboard.

The twins went to the storage room.

"Okay. I'll go get the mop," 'Dokuro' replied.

"The kitchen. Check," Tsunayoshi said, going out of the kitchen and into the hallways of the mansion. "Next, the laundry."

Bubbles filled up the room as laundry machines were washing nothing but water and soap. The girls and Hayato were swimming around with wet clothes, bedspreads, and bubbles.

"Jyuudaime, you're here!" Hayato cried happily, upon seeing his boss.

"I told you to follow the instructions on the box!" Bluebell yelled at M.M.

"And I did! Thirty scoops of soap!" M.M. yelled back.

"It says three scoops, M.M., not thirty," Tsunayoshi butted in, holding up a plastic box of detergent.

"Eh? Where!" M.M. swam over to Tsunayoshi's side and looked at the instructions. "Oh, it does say 'three'."

"Are you doing this on purpose!" Bluebell screeched. "We have to hand-wash all this now!"

"What! We can't just wash them over and over again in the machines!" M.M. cried.

"If we do that, everything will get messed up!" Bluebell explained.

"Good luck with that. I'll send over Kikyo and 'Mukuro' over soon," Tsunayoshi said.

"Jyuudaime, let me go with you!" Hayato tried to get out of the bubbly room, but Bluebell grabbed his collar again. "You are not going anywhere yet. You have to help if you want to be useful to Tsuna."

"See you at dinnertime," Tsunayoshi said.

"Bye!" Bluebell replied cheerfully.

The butler ignored Hayato's pleas and went to Zangetsu's office. No one was in there; Tsunayoshi dusted and wiped the room clean. The teenage butler found Kikyo and 'Mukuro' in the library.

"Ah, Tsuna," Kikyo greeted.

"Hello there. How are things?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"I'm having 'Mukuro' read over some books in Korean, French, and Spanish," Kikyo explained. 'Mukuro' was reading through some literature books that Kikyo found for him to read, not hearing the butler or the house steward. "Though, it seems that he's rather fluent in Italian and Japanese since there's no hint of an accent in his speech."

"I see. Continue on."

Tsunayoshi went to one of Zangetsu's Zen rooms. Zangetsu was in there with Torikabuto in the corner.

"Master Zangetsu," Tsunayoshi said.

"How are they?" the master asked.

"It will take some time to train them," Tsunayoshi answered. "At least half of them are fast learners."

"You're quite good at making people learn though, aren't you, despite being a child?"

"That's because I had the best teacher."

"Really? Then why didn't you have one of them locked up like this teacher told you to?" Zangetsu asked.

"Because if I did, that wouldn't bode well with the other new employees. Also, I'm a little confused on the one you wanted to lock up as a prisoner."

"What do you mean?" Zangetsu asked.

"I'm just confused," Tsunayoshi said. "Not to worry. I'll undo my confusion soon."

"I see. By the way, why was it noisy last night?"

"Oh, that was because…" Tsuna shot into explaining what had happened the previous night, including when she was almost stabbed.

"_He'll be meeting us at the forest down there," 'Rokudo Mukuro' said, gesturing towards the forest below them._

_Tsunayoshi guided the cloth down, dodging tall trees. She paused the cloth. "Now, this is a dilemma. Should 'Rokudo Mukuro-san' go down himself, or should I go?"_

"_You go then," the glasses boy said._

"_All right. Then please describe the person we're picking up."_

"_We don't have to because he's right behind you," the redheaded girl replied, smirking._

_Tsunayoshi turned around and saw a boy with dark blue hair and mismatched eyes, smiling creepily at her. He raised a trident-like knife and stabbed her._

_Well, he would have stabbed her if the teenage masked butler didn't use silverware knives to block it._

"_Is this person we're supposed to pick up, 'Rokudo Mukuro'?" the butler asked._

_The boy with mismatched eyes withdrew his weapon, just as 'Mukuro' gave a reply, "Yes. He's coming with us."_

"_I understand. Well then, please, come abroad," Tsunayoshi said to the boy. "We have a long night to travel."_

_The boy smiled. "I'm sure."_

"_What is your name?"_

"'_Dokuro'" the boy replied, his hair covering his right mismatched eye, climbing to the space next to 'Mukuro'._

_Upon the Zangetsu mansion, near five o' clock in the morning,_

"_I can't believe you. You messed up my hair!" M.M. cried, looking at her reflection in the window from the light above the back door of the kitchen._

"_Do be quiet. We don't want to wake up the master," Tsunayoshi replied, unlocking the back door._

"_M.M., you're not the only one with a messed up head," Birds reminded her, gesturing to himself, 'Mukuro', Ken, Chikusa, the masked Tsunayoshi, and 'Dokuro'. The twins were bald, so they didn't have to worry about unkempt appearances. Tsunayoshi's hair, which was usually styled so as not to be unkempt when working as a butler, is now as unkempt as usual during school._

"_Actually, my hair is usually like this if I didn't use gel and hairspray to keep it in place. M.M.-san, don't worry. If you hurry, you won't be introduced to everyone with hair that looks like unkempt bed hair," the butler said, turning on the lights in the kitchen._

_The butler took off her mask and set it on the table._

"_Ehh? You look like a girl," Ken commented. "And I thought you just smell like flowers because of our jailbreak."_

"_I have my mother's looks," Tsunayoshi replied, "Now please, this way."_

_The teenage butler ushered the lot into the showers and baths, fitted them into their uniforms, forced Ken and M.M. into theirs (who needed a separate mention), and got them to stay awake just in time for the morning at the mansion to begin._

"In other words, you and the new employees haven't slept at all," Reborn commented, sitting next to the master, wearing a yukata, in a Zen position.

"Yes," Tsunayoshi replied, smiling and sparkling as if she did have a good night's sleep last night.

"That explains why the new maid poured in too much detergent and the boy with dark blue hair turned on the flamethrower," Reborn said.

"I suppose," Tsunayoshi still smiled, sparkling.

* * *

><p>It's so hot! I have to keep an ice cube in my mouth to keep cool. Anyways, here's the latest update. I have yet to pack for my trip to UC Berkeley and Taiwan. If I don't update anything by the 22nd of this month, then we'll might sometime after the 18th of August.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5: Butler and Household Troubles

I'm back! I had so much fun at UC Berkeley and Taiwan. I came back on July 15th because my sisters are doing a musical of 'the King and I'. I'm not sure if I'm still jetlegged. Anyways, while I was at UC Berkeley, I threw away all my fanfic stuff, so that means I have start anew on the next chapters of all three stories. I caught a fever and had to lie in bed for two days. These days are so hot! Mom and Dad told me not to eat any ice, but it's so hot! I couldn't help myself. Anyways, on with the story.

* * *

><p>"Everyone, wake up now," Tsunayoshi said, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention who are in the kitchen.<p>

"So early in the morning," Ken complained.

"When I had my old job, I never had to wake up this early," M.M. added. "And never for this low amount of paycheck."

"It's only the second week, M.M.!" Bluebell scolded.

"Everyone knows their duties, correct?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Hai!" Everyone replied.

"Then, dismissed," Tsunayoshi said.

After everyone went to their stations, Tsunayoshi went to school.

"Excuse me, Daisy," 'Dokuro' called for the gardener's attention.

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask this, but where does Tsunayoshi-san go in the mornings?"

Daisy was silent for a while and then replied, "If Tsuna-san hasn't told you, then I can't tell you."

"Eh? You can't? Is it a huge secret?" 'Dokuro' asked.

"It depends on how you see 'huge'," Daisy said, getting a water can.

_**At school**_

"Baseball for the boys, track for the girls," Tsuna said, reading the P.E. schedule. "Since I'm enrolled as a boy, then it's baseball for me."

"Hey, Sawada. It's time to get outside!" Yamamoto Takeshi called.

"Okay!"

Once the cross-dresser got outside, the boys split into two teams. Since baseball was the sport, Yamamoto Takeshi, the baseball prodigy, swung the baseball bat and took all of the winnings himself. The game ended with the opposite team losing, which was the team that Tsuna was on.

"Nee, Sawada, can you take care of the cleaning?" one of the boys asked, handing over the broom. "I forgot to do the homework for the next class."

"Oh, okay," Tsuna said, taking the broom.

"Thanks," and then Tsuna found herself alone on the field.

"Eh? How'd it become just me?"

"Help is here!"

Tsuna turned around and saw Takeshi holding a broom.

"Oh, thanks," and the two sent to work.

"Good game today," Tsuna said as she swept the field.

"Yeah, but that was actually my worst," Takeshi confessed.

"That's kinda true," Tsuna commented, which made Takeshi flinch.

"Usually, you'd glow like a star in the sky, but today you didn't," Tsuna explained. "You have a bad day?"

Takeshi had a bitter smile on his face. "It'd be good if that were the case. Baseball hasn't been going too well lately. No matter how much I practice, my average is going down and my fielding is seriously starting to suck. If this continues, this might be the first season I don't become a regular."

"Maybe it's because you're too focused on baseball?" Tsuna suggested.

"Huh? Too focused?"

"Yes. While it's true that practice makes perfect, just focusing on one thing makes you go out of the loop and lowers your other skills and ruins your relationships with your peers and family. If you think about it, have you even focused on your parents since you noticed this slump?"

Takeshi thought about it. Sawada was right; since he started on his baseball slump, he hadn't been focusing on his schoolwork, his teammates, his classmates, or even his dad.

"Judging by your face, I'd take it that you've only been focusing on baseball that you've neglected your parents. Take a break from baseball for a while and then go back to baseball. Because, who knows, maybe your slump is baseball's way of saying 'you've played with me long enough, go back to your friends and family.'"

Hearing Tsuna's comment, Takeshi laughed. "Ahaha, you're right. Maybe I have been focusing too much on baseball. I'll take a break and then go back to it."

"Just be sure that when you go back to baseball, you don't hurt yourself, or that break will just be a waste."

"Sure."

_**Mansion**_

When Tsuna went back to Zangetsu, she was slightly horrified to see the garden bare of grass, the storage room and more turned into charcoal, and the tableware shattered into pieces.

"What. In the world. Happened. To cause. This!" Tsunayoshi politely demanded from his coworkers, glaring at the lot. The older ones were cowering while the newer ones, including Hayato, were shivering at the black aura they were seeing that was oozing out of their head butler. Only Kikyo, the head steward, and 'Rokuro Mukuro', who was assigned to him, were spared from his glare.

"U-um, we got out the herbicides, but the container broke and the chemicals spilled…" Daisy said, clutching his doll as if it were his lifeline.

"Er, my flamethrower turned on by itself and set the storage room on fire," Zakuro explained, his eyes not meeting Tsuna's.

"Th-the trolley's wheels were slippery with oil and crashed into the china cabinet," Bluebell added, cowering.

"Tsuna," Kikyo called for Tsuna's attention, mildly flinching when he turned his glare on him. "Calm down a little. It was my fault for not making sure that their old habits wouldn't get in the way."

Tsunayoshi did calm down. "Luckily, there weren't any guests coming by today, Reborn-san leaves before dinner, but then there's the issue of dinner and tea." _'And also the source of how everything were damaged.'_

"*sigh* We'll just change the menu," Zakuro replied. "We'll have to make stir-fry and French onion soup."

"But what about the garish?" Birds asked. "We've already told the master that we're making mackerel with gooseberry sauce and cottage pie."

"We can change it," Zakuro replied.

"We can change it just like that?" 'Dokuro' asked.

"Yeah, we can, as long as the master doesn't notice," Zakuro explained.

"I don't think he'll be that easy to be deceived," Birds commented.

"Well, even if that's not the case, Zangetsu usually doesn't comment about the changes," Zakuro added.

"We can use the Havilland tea set in the second cabinet in the East wing," Bluebell told M.M. "M.M., you get the black tea brewing."

"Okay, where is the black tea?" the red-haired maid asked.

"Come on, I'll show you where it is," Zakuro butted in.

"We can plant irises in the garden and add some small boulders and create a Zen garden," Daisy reported.

"I don't remember seeing any irises in the greenhouses," Chikusa said.

"You just leave that to me. You three take care of the others," Daisy replied. "Chikusa and Hayato, create the sand. Ken, you move the boulders."

"Jyuudaime! I'd rather help you!" Hayato claimed.

"Help Daisy," Tsunayoshi said firmly. Hayato sulked as he followed Daisy, Chikusa, and Ken to the gardens.

"If you understand what you must do, then get," Tsunayoshi ordered.

Everyone dispersed, leaving Kikyo and 'Rokudo Mukuro' with Tsunayoshi. Tsunayoshi sighed. The head butler turned to the head steward. "Do you have something for me?"

"Yes. Master Zangetsu said that Mr. Jyuushiro will be bringing children from the Karakura Children's Foster Home here," Kikyo reported.

"When will that be?" Tsunayoshi asked.

Kikyo hesitated.

"Just tell me," Tsunayoshi ordered.

"Tomorrow," 'Rokudo Mukuro' answered.

A vein popped on Tsunayoshi's forehead. A fiery aura surrounded Tsunayoshi as he glared at a random spot on the windows.

"Honestly, that master is going to be the death of me by overworking me like this," Tsunayoshi growled out.

"Do you need help?" 'Rokuro Mukuro' asked.

The fiery aura disappeared as it came. "No need. Make sure that the others are doing their jobs well. I can't have any disturbances, after all."

"We understand." Kikyo and 'Rokudo Mukuro' left to check up on the others.

"Now, to prepare for tomorrow," Tsunayoshi said, going towards the kitchens in the West wing.

_**Zangetsu and Reborn**_

"Could you refrain from destroying my mansion?" Zangetsu asked the baby across from him.

"What ever could you be talking about?" Reborn innocently asked.

"You were the one who turned on Zakuro's flamethrower, slicked the trolley's wheels with oil, and destroyed the container that was full of herbicide," Zangetsu said. "Although I don't mind the fact that you would evaluate my staff, do _not_ destroy my mansion on top of it."

"Yes, please don't," Tsunayoshi added, coming into the room. "Please excuse my rude behavior of coming in without permission, Master. Reborn-san, I am well aware of the fact that you are testing the people I've gathered, but do _not,_ I repeat, do _not_ ruin the mansion in the process. There are so many heirlooms that cannot be replaced." Tsunayoshi said this with a glare.

"Now, please excuse me." Tsunayoshi added with a smile before leaving the room.

"Did you hear that?" Zangetsu asked.

"Yep," Reborn replied. "Your butler said 'do not' twice."

_**Before Dinner**_

"Are all the tableware polished?" Tsunayoshi asked the maids.

"Ready for dinner!" Bluebell cheerfully saluted.

"The dinner preparations?" Tsunayoshi asked the chef and his assistants.

"Hand over the plates and we're done," Zakuro said.

"The garden?" Tsunayoshi asked the gardeners.

"At their best!" Daisy saluted.

"Good. I'll take care of the rest," Tsunayoshi said.

"Tsunayoshi, what about the matter of the oil-slicked trolley wheels, the flamethrower, and the chemical container?" Kikyo asked.

"I've already taken care of the source," Tsunayoshi said with a mysterious smile. "You may relax. Have some dessert. It's tea-flavored chiffon cake."

"Yay!" Bluebell cheered as she reached for a slice of the cake.

"Thank you so-" Hayato said to his Jyuudaime, but Tsunayoshi already left the kitchen.

"Master," Tsunayoshi called for his attention, "tonight's dinner will be vegetable stir-fry and French onion soup. I hope that today's menu will be to your liking."

Zangetsu stared at his dinner that his butler placed in front of him; Reborn having already left for the Sawada household. "I have a feeling that tonight's menu was different from the one I've heard earlier."

Tsunayoshi stayed mum about it, only made a mental note to trouble his new and not required home tutor with something.

Zangetsu sighed and ate his dinner without another word.

_**After Dinner**_

"Excuse me," 'Dokuro' called for Kikyo's attention.

"Yes?"

"Where is Tsuna?" he asked.

"In the ballroom, preparing for tomorrow," Kikyo replied.

"Why?" Bluebell butt in. "Is there a guest coming?"

"_Guests_. Mr. Jyuushiro is bringing the children's home from Karakura to visit this home," Kikyo explained.

"Shouldn't we be helping our head butler?" Zakuro asked.

"I have to help no matter what!" Hayato yelled. "It's the duty of the right-hand man to help his boss, no matter what it is!"

Everyone just stared at him.

"We asked, but Tsunayoshi said there was no need," 'Rokudo Mukuro' answered, acting as if Hayato didn't talk at all.

"Well, let's go make sure," Daisy said.

"You guys go. I'm staying here," M.M. said, eating her plate of dessert.

"Fine then. Stay here and pig out," Bluebell said, finishing her black tea.

"Weren't you the first one to pig out?" M.M. retorted.

"Bluebell, are you coming?" Kikyo called over his shoulder before Bluebell could make a comeback.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Bluebell put her teacup in the sink and went with Kikyo, Zakuro, Hayato, and Daisy to the ballroom. She paused at the doorway. "You guys don't want to come?"

"If the butler doesn't need help, then he doesn't need help," 'Rokudo Mukuro' replied.

"Oh, okay then." Then the blue-haired maid left.

"So…what are we going to do now," M.M. turned to 'Dokuro', "Mukuro-chan?"

"Kufufufu," 'Dokuro' laughed, "We strike." He brushed his hair off his right eye, revealing a red eye, contrary to his blue left eye, with a kanji number six. _"Soon."_

"Hey, Tsuna, do you nee-" Zakuro's question trailed off as he took the forms of candy and sweets that filled up the ballroom, Bluebell, Hayato, and Daisy crashing into him and landing into a dog pile just inside the doorway.

"What are you doing?" Kikyo asked the four.

"What do you need?" Tsunayoshi asked, pausing in his candy decoration.

"We…" Kikyo was unable to form words as he, just like Zakuro, took in the sculptures of sweets and chocolate that was in the ballroom. Tsunayoshi was paused on a chocolate sculpture of the Tokyo Tower, just barely putting on the top.

The four that was on the ground stood up and saw all sorts of sweets: macaroons, shortcakes, cupcakes, fruit jelly, bon bon chocolates, cakes, cookies, etc.

"There's all sorts of sweets in here!?" Bluebell shouted.

"Jyuudaime!" Hayato gasped. "You made all of this?"

"This is nothing for the butler of the Zangetsu household," Tsunayoshi said.

"Can we taste some?" Daisy asked, staring at some berry jellies.

"You've just had dinner, including dessert, didn't you all?" Tsunayoshi replied, getting down from the ladder that he had to use to reach the top of the seven-foot chocolate Tokyo Tower.

"Most people have separate stomachs for desserts and food," Zakuro said.

"Good thing I made extras then," Out of nowhere, Tsunayoshi took out a plate heaped with sweets.

"Please~!" Daisy and Bluebell pleaded. Tsunayoshi could practically see the dog ears and tails wagging on them.

"Hey! Don't just bother Jyuudaime with that request! And don't jump all over him like that!" Hayato yelled at the two.

"But those were extras," Zakuro said, taking a macaroon from the plate.

"HEY!" Bluebell and Hayato shouted. "WHEN TSUNA/JYUUDAIME OFFERS YOU SOMETHING, YOU WAIT FOR HIM TO GIVE IT TO YOU!"

"All right, all right, I get it," Zakuro replied, covering his ears from the shouting that the two made. "No need to bust up my eardrums."

"Thank you so much, these are delicious, Tsuna," Kikyo said, eating the last cookie.

"Meah, they 're," Daisy said through his mouth of cupcakes.

"YOU ATE THEM ALL!" Bluebell and Hayato cried, tears in their eyes as though they were denied their favorite snacks.

Kikyo only smiled. "It's your fault for not taking them when it was offered."

_**The next Day**_

"Hey, Tsuna! Good morning!" Takeshi called out before class.

"Oh, good morning, Takeshi," Tsuna greeted back.

"Hey! Don't get all chummy with Jyuudaime, baseball freak!" Hayato growled.

"What? We're all friends, aren't we?" Takeshi asked. "But, uh, who's Jyuudaime?"

"Jyuudaime is Jyuudaime!" Hayato sneered. "Are you so stupid with baseball that you don't know something so simple?"

"Actually, Hayato, even the average person wouldn't know what you're talking about since that name isn't supposed to be well known," Tsuna explained.

"Oh, is 'Jyuudaime' your nickname, Tsuna?" Takeshi asked.

"It's not a nickname!" Hayato cried.

Takeshi just laughed him off.


	6. Chapter 6: Butler and Betrayal

_**Zangetsu's Mansion**_

"If you guys don't hurry, the kids will be here soon," 'Tsunayoshi' said.

"Hurry up with what?" 'Dokuro' asked.

"The kids won't be here until 10, correct?" 'Rokudo Mukuro' inquired.

"Yes, but I had hoped that you would be inside the ballroom, waiting for them," 'Tsunayoshi' explained.

"Then we'd better go," Zakuro said, taking 'Dokuro' and Birds with him. The twins followed the old man.

"Are you ready, 'Mukuro'?" Kikyo asked the dark-skinned man.

"Yeah," 'Rokuro Mukuro' followed Kikyo out.

"Let's go already, M.M.!" Bluebell whined.

"I got it, brat!" M.M. retorted.

"Stop calling me brat!" Bluebell snapped. "I'm your senior in this workplace, aren't I!?"

"Anyone younger than me is a brat," M.M. said.

"Ken, Chikusa, are you two ready?" Daisy asked the two.

"Sure, whatever," Chikusa replied.

"I don't wanna babysit any kids," Ken said, but followed Daisy and Chikusa out the door.

After everyone left, 'Tsunayoshi' leaned against the door and grinned an uncharacteristic look that can only befit a murderer.

_**10 o' clock**_

The children were amazed by all the candy they were seeing. Most, if not all, grabbed plates, and piled sweets and started eating. Their home's sponsor, Mr. Jyuushiro, laughed at the enthusiastic energy the kids have.

Kikyo took out a piano from a corner, and started playing children songs on it. Bluebell, Zakuro, and Daisy mingled with the kids. 'Rokudo Mukuro' somehow became the children's favorite. Ken, M.M., the twins and Birds scared the kids to stay away from them. 'Dokuro' managed to creep out some of the children while Chikusa was invisible to them.

'Tsunayoshi' took the sponsor and the master to the master's office, leaving the supervising to the teachers and Kikyo.

_**After lunch**_

"Reborn-san! Reborn-san!" Hayato called out. "I need to talk to you!" Hayato ran down the hallway to the fire hydrant where he found Reborn during the expel crisis.

"What is it do you need, sir?" a baby butler greeted him with a green towel over his arm.

"I don't need a butler!" Hayato cried.

Then the butler changed clothes and into the Reborn he knew. The green towel turned into his chameleon, Leon. "My mistake. I was hoping that I could mess with Tsuna."

"Reborn-san! I didn't recognize you! Anyways, are you really considering in having that baseball idiot in the family? I'm against it!"

"I'm not considering. He's already in," Reborn replied.

"No! I'm against it! Please reconsider it!" Hayato pleaded, but was faced with a sleeping Reborn. _'He's asleep!'_ Hayato thought, shocked.

_**Zangetsu's Mansion**_

While the two men were chatting, a knock came from the door.

"Master Zangetsu," 'Tsunayoshi' called, entering.

"Yes?"

"There is someone at the gates, wishing for an audience with you."

"Send him in."

"He's brought a large amount of people."

"Send them all in."

"Understood." The butler left. Zangetsu looked at the paper datura that came with his tea that morning. Datura meant illusion, which meant that there was going to be betrayals. It was going to be a _long_ day.

"Really? I must've chosen a bad day to bring the children over," Jyuushiro commented.

Zangetsu didn't realize that he had said that comment out loud. "It's quite all right. It works out into my butler's plans actually."

"Master Zangetsu," his 'butler' called.

"Yes?"

"Our guests are waiting in the garden."

"I'll be right there. Call Reborn."

"Understood."

"Reborn? The mafia's greatest hitman?"

"Yes. Apparently, he has his eyes on my butler."

Zangetsu made his way to the garden; Jyuushiro went back to the children; and saw that his guest was a man in his twenties, surrounded by men in black suits. The man was a blonde with a tattoo on his left arm, wearing a green jacket with black fur on the rim of his hoodie.

The man, seeing Zangetsu, stood up. He held out his hand. "Hi there. I'm the Cavallone Family's 10th boss, Dino."

Zangetsu shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Here. Assam tea," 'Tsunayoshi' said, setting down the tea set.

"Oh, thank you," Dino replied, drinking his tea.

"Forgive me, Master Zangetsu," 'Tsunayoshi' said to 'his' master. "I must get back to the children's party."

"Go." 'Tsunayoshi' bowed again and left.

"Good staff. Don't keep you waiting," Dino commented.

"Forgive me for being blunt, but what's the purpose of your visit?" Zangetsu asked. "I don't usually make connections with the mafia, so I can only guess that your visit has something to do with that not required home tutor, Reborn."

"'Not required'? How can Reborn not be required? That butler of yours is the next heir of the Vongola Family! The largest mafia family there ever is! Without an heir, a war could go out! With the proper teaching that you seem to have not given, that kid could be one of the greatest boss ever in history!" Dino said calmly, though angered.

"Is it normal for Italians to make accusations before they understand the situation?" Zangetsu asked.

"What?"

"I am saying this because it sounds as though you saying that I'm tying that brat to me, and not teach what that brat needs to survive and grow."

"You mean, the 10th Vongola Boss wants to stay with you?"

"Of course. If I had my choice, I'd rather that brat explore the world than stay here in this small town."

"O-oh. Sorry, my bad," Dino said, embarrassed as his men snickered at his childish antics.

"But what about your staff? Surely you wouldn't allow anything to harm that child, right?" Dino asked.

"If there is a problem with the staff, that child will take care of it. Say that they are dangerous, that child will feign innocence since that child is the one who hand picks them."

"The entire staff?!"

"Yes. There were times that I didn't trust that brat's instincts, but the staff, when they were just getting used to here, managed to survive the chopping block and stayed ever since, for about six years now."

"Has there been any additions?"

"Recently. Even though my orders were to lock one of them in the dungeons."

"Has that child done that?"

"No. That brat claims to be confused on _who_ is supposed to be in the dungeons."

"_Who?"_

"It just means that this person is doing everything they can to not be locked up."

_**After school**_

"So, Jyuudaime, are you going to that mansion?" Hayato asked Tsuna.

"Mansion? What mansion?" Takeshi asked, walking up to the two.

"I work part-time at a mansion," Tsuna explained.

"A mansion? Like a palace?" Kyoko asked, walking to the trio with Hana in tow.

"Depends on how you see 'palace', but the place is big," Tsuna replied.

"Can I come see?" Kyoko asked.

"Hey, Kyoko, don't be rude," Hana lightly scolded.

"Actually, to answer that question, I have to ask," Tsuna said, "Are any of you guys good with kids?"

"Kids?" Takeshi, Hayato, Kyoko, and Hana repeated.

"Kids give me hives," Hana bluntly replied.

"I like them!" Takeshi said cheerfully.

"They're very cute!" Kyoko added, smiling.

"I-I-I like…them…" Hayato said painfully, though trying hard to smile, which made Tsuna sweat drop.

"Hayato, you don't have to lie," Tsuna replied, deadpanning.

"Why ask that question, though?" Takeshi asked.

"Because the mansion is visited by a children's home from Karakura," Tsuna explained. "I'm a little worried about the kids, so I was hoping that I could find some babysitters."

"I wanna come!" cried one of Takeshi's fan girls, or maybe Hayato's; Tsuna couldn't tell.

"I want to help, too! I love kids!" added one of Kyoko's fan boys.

"If you're sure, because the mansion is on top of the hills that overlook Namimori and Karakura towns," Tsuna said. "I'm pretty sure that the children will be coming on a bus."

"Actually, I have club practice," said the fan boy of Kyoko's.

"I have to do my chores at home," the fan girl of Hayato/Takeshi's added.

"I have to take care of Onii-chan. I won't be able to make it home if I go," Kyoko said.

"We'll just have to go on another day," Hana told her.

"Aw, it's too bad that everyone can't come," Takeshi said.

"Hey, baseball idiot! Don't you have club practice?" Hayato growled.

"I'm taking a break! Too much practice doesn't help if nothing improves," Takeshi said, winking at Tsuna.

"The baseball idiot actually said something smart!" Hayato cried, shocked.

"If you two want to come, then you'd better hurry," Tsuna called for them, already at the door. "Hana, Kyoko, see you tomorrow!"

"Jyuudaime! Wait for me!" Hayato cried, running out the door.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Takeshi called after.

"Bye, Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko waved them off cheerfully.

_**Zangetsu's mansion**_

"Seems like everything's taken care of," 'Tsunayoshi' said to 'Dokuro.' The two were overlooking the ballroom, which was filled with children. The Zangetsu household staff was watching over the children with the chaperones, making sure that the children won't horseplay or damage anything.

"Yes. 'Rokudo Mukuro' seems to be the children's favorite," 'Dokuro' commented, seeing the dark-skinned man surrounded by kids.

"Heheh. Lucky man. With that scary face of his, you'd think that it's him that the children would stay away."

"Ah, Tsuna-san, I wish to take to you about something."

"What is it?"

"I'm afraid it's something very private and not something children should hear about. May we take it outside, away from the children?"

"Of course. We'll have to go to the gardens at the West Wing. The Master has some uninvited guests in the East Wing," 'Tsunayoshi' said, leading 'Dokuro' to the outside gardens in the West Wing. Unknown to the two of them, a child in a cowsuit followed them quietly.

"Uninvited guests?"

"Yes. It seems that they were told to come here at the recommendation of someone with very high influence."

"Who is this someone with very high influence?"

_**Students**_

"Wow! This is the mansion you work at?" Takeshi asked, gaping at the vastness of the mansion.

"Yep!" Tsuna said cheerfully.

"Don't just stand there, baseball idiot! We have to go to the ballroom!" Hayato growled. "The children are already here!"

"First, we should get dressed," Tsuna said. "We can't go in dressed like students."

"Oh, okay."

After finding some spare footman uniforms, Hayato and Takeshi followed Tsuna, who's now in her butler persona, to the ballroom.

'_**Tsunayoshi' and 'Dokuro'**_

"You know him," 'Tsunayoshi turned to face 'Dokuro' in the gardens of the West Wing. They were well hidden from the ballroom and the East Wing, but they were not hidden from the cow suit child who followed them.

"I do?" 'Dokuro' asked with a confused face.

"You should know him since you're connected with the Italian mafia," Tsunayoshi said.

Shocked, 'Dokuro' didn't say anything. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Oh? I'm sorry to accuse you of that. It's just that you know 'Rokudo Mukuro.' Anyone would assume that you're in the mafia as well, 'Dokuro-kun'."

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm not exactly in the mafia. 'Rokudo Mukuro' took care of me when I was a child, so I suppose you would consider me as a mafia. Would that jeopardize my job here?"

"No. Not at all. By the way, what is it you wish to talk about?"

Before 'Dokuro' could get a word in, 'Tsunayoshi' remembered something. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm afraid I've forgotten about Master's afternoon tea."

"Eh? But it's really important."

"As a butler of the Zangetsu household, it is very important to uphold the master's schedule."

"Hey. I am asking a very important question." At that, the wind brushed away 'Dokuro' hair, revealing a right eye with the kanji of 6.

'Tsunayoshi' did not bat an eyelash and was not fazed by the sight. "I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later. Go back to the ballroom and take care of the kids, or 'Rokudo Mukuro'. I'm sure he must be tired."

'Tsunayoshi' left the garden, not looking back. Chikusa appeared.

"Was it him, or her?" Chikusa asked.

'Dokuro' smiled and laughed. "Kufufu. It's hard to tell. That butler is in the way of everything. But he'll be a great ally. Kufufufufu."

_**Ballroom**_

"That 'Rokudo Mukuro' guy is really popular with the kids," Takeshi said, pointing over his shoulder to show that the kids were having fun with the dark-skinned man.

"Yeah. It's hard to believe that he's popular with kids," Tsunayoshi commented.

"Jyuudaime! All the kids are here and not one of them broke anything!" Hayato reported.

"That's nice."

"Ciaossu," a voice came from behind them.

Reborn appeared from the vase he was cosplaying.

"What are you doing?"

"I just got permission from the master that we can perform the Family's Entrance Test."

"What test?"

"Eh? Tsuna, who's this? One of the kids?" Takeshi asked.

"Ciaossu, Yamamoto," Reborn greeted him.

"It's a test to see if baseball idiot here can enter the Vongola Family," Hayato explained as Takeshi and Reborn became acquainted with each other. "If he passes, he becomes part of the Vongola Family. If he fails, he dies."

"What?" Tsunayoshi's mind screeched into a halt as she processed what Hayato just said.

"Oh, yeah, and Tsuna. The master's counting on you to cover up the test and pass it like a performance," Reborn told her.

Tsunayoshi sighed. "He'll be the death of me someday. Hayato, tell Kikyo to take care of everything."

"Understood, Jyuudaime!"

Leaving the ballroom, the cross dresser searched for her master. Finding him in the East Wing's garden with some guests, the head butler made his way, by passing the other 'head butler'.

"Master Zangetsu," he called for the master.

"Yes?" Zangetsu answered as he sipped his afternoon tea. His guest was surprised at how quickly the butler came back.

"There will be a performance that Yamamoto Takeshi will be doing because Reborn-san has your permission, Master."

"Yes. Be sure that nobody gets hurt."

"Understood."

"Can we watch?" Dino asked.

"Sure. Go set up in the West Wing's garden."

Tsunayoshi smiled and bowed deeply. "Yes, my master."

After alerting Kikyo about the 'performance', Tsunayoshi went to the West garden and saw Reborn already there with Takeshi and Hayato.

"So when does the test start?" Takeshi asked.

"Until the kids get out here," Reborn said.

"How does the test go?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Don't worry. It's very simple," Reborn told the butler, but it did not ease the butler's worries.

_**Half Hour Later**_

The children were waiting impatiently for the performance to start. Tsunayoshi told the staff and chaperones that it'd be best for the children to stick close to the wall. Kikyo and Zakuro moved some bleachers, so there'd be more room for everyone. The adults stood at the sides of the bleachers, including Dino and his men.

"Ladies and Gentlmen! I am Rebokku, the mysterious Magician who knows everything." Reborn called out, wearing a white suit with a matching white fedora, poofing in the middle of the garden that was pronounced as the stage. "Today we will be doing a number of performances. So little kiddies, even though these are performances, don't try these at home without an adult present!"

"Hai!" the children replied.

"All right, the first performer is Yamamoto Takeshi, the baseball prodigy!" Rebokku said, pointing a white staff at the baseball boy.

"Yo!" Takeshi greeted the kids.

"Yamamoto Takeshi will now dodge these attacks!" Rebokku announced, pulling out two guns almost as large as he is and holding each easily in one hand. "First off are knives!"

Reborn pulled out dozens of throwing knives and threw them all at Takeshi in one smooth motion.

Takeshi jumped aside as fast as he could, managing to avoid most of the dangerous projectiles. Before one could nick his arm, Tsunayoshi jumped in, pushed Takeshi aside, and captured the knife. The children applauded, pleased with the performance so far.

"Nice. If not for his baseball reflexes, he'd probably look like a pin cushion," Dino commented.

"Tch," Hayato snarled, annoyed that his boss jumped in to help the baseball idiot. _'Kill him, kill him…'_ Hayato thought darkly.

"Reborn-san, I thought you said no worries," Tsunayoshi said.

"I'm not Reborn. I'm Rebokku," the white-clad baby said, pulling out more knives.

"Hey, Tsuna, let's run!" Takeshi said, taking off.

Tsunayoshi just stayed where he is as Reborn started chucking knives at them once again.

"Hey, Tsuna!" Takeshi exclaimed as he dodged the knives. Tsunayoshi caught the knives as they were thrown his way. The children clapped and cheered more at Tsunayoshi's skill.

"Jyuudaime is so awesome!" Hayato praised.

"Whoa! Is that kid really a butler?" Dino inquired.

"This is nothing for the butler of the Zangetsu household," Tsunayoshi said.

"Wow, recent toys seem so real," Takeshi commented. "Those looked like real knives."

"That's because they are, Takeshi," Tsunayoshi said, sweat dropping a bit at Takeshi's stupidity.

"Next to dodge is a blow-gun," Reborn announced as soon as he felt satisfied that they were able to dodge all the knives successfully.

A loud laugh caught everyone's attention from above; Reborn paid it no mind.

"Found you, Reborn!"

"Is this part of the performance?" Takeshi asked.

"I don't believe so," Tsunayoshi said, looking up at the figure standing on the rail of a balcony that overlooked the garden.

"I'm Lambo from the Bovino family!" the boy in a cow suit with an afro declared. "I'm Lambo, 5 years old from Italy, a hit man from the Bovino Family! I'm Lambo, who met Reborn in a bar! Favorite foods are grapes and candy!"

"Is he part of the home from Karakura?" Takeshi asked.

"Obviously not because he just said he came from Italy," Tsunayoshi said.

"Gotcha!" 'Rokudo Mukuro' said, grabbing Lambo.

"Gah! Put Lambo-san down!" Lambo cried. "Lambo-san has to defeat Reborn!"

"You can do that later," Zakuro said, going into the mansion.

"Tsuna, move!" Takeshi cried, pushing Tsuna out of the three-pronged knife's way, nicking his arm.

"'Dokuro'?" Tsunayoshi called out, seeing the attacker's knife belonging to 'Dokuro'.

"Kufufufu, who are you talking, Tsunayoshi," the blue-haired boy said, "or, should I say, Vongola's tenth generation boss."

"I refuse to be called by that title, Rokudo Mukuro," Tsunayoshi replied, taking a handkerchief and dabbing it on Takeshi's wound, surprising Dino, his men, Hayato, and Reborn.

"Oh? So you already knew?" Mukuro asked, a smile etching on his face, brushing the hair out of his right eye.

"I had my suspicions," Tsunayoshi replied.

"I see. When were you going to confront me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't your master order you to lock me up?"

"What are you talking about? You are locked up."

"I am?" Mukuro asked, as confusion masked his face as well as Hayato's, Dino's, Reborn's, the staff's, and Takeshi's who doesn't understand what's going on.

"Locking up someone and keep someone in prison are two different matters," Tsunayoshi explained. "Locking up someone means keep them from going outside and throw away the key. Keep someone in prison means lock them in the dungeons. Master only ordered me to lock you up. He didn't say to throw you in the dungeons."

"You and your loopholes," Zangetsu cursed.

"Really? Then how am I locked up?"

"You had never stepped outside of the mansion's grounds since you've been here for the past two weeks, haven't you?"

Mukuro's eyes widen as he realized it.

"See. I didn't fail to obey my master's orders," Tsunayoshi said with a smile of a devil.


	7. Chapter 7: Butler and Devil

Sorry for taking so long. If I were to go from my usual pattern before I stopped, I should be updating 'Tsunayoshi', but I've lost my muse. The only thing I've got going on in my head is some NextGen fanfic, involving everyone and their kids.

* * *

><p>"<em>Didn't your master order you to lock me up?"<em>

"_What are you talking about? You are locked up."_

"_I am?" Mukuro asked as confusion masked his face, as well as Hayato's, Dino's Reborn's, the staff's, and Takeshi's who doesn't understand what's going on._

"_Locking up someone and keep someone in prison are two different matters," Tsunayoshi explained. "Locking up someone means keep them from going outside and throw away the key. Keep someone in prison means lock them in the dungeons. Master only ordered me to lock you up. He didn't say to throw you in the dungeons."_

"_You and your loopholes," Zangetsu cursed._

"_Really? Then how am I locked up?"_

"_You had never stepped outside of the mansion's grounds since you've been here for the past two weeks, haven't you?"_

_Mukuro's eyes widen as he realized it._

"_See. I didn't fail to obey my master's orders," Tsunayoshi said with a smile of a devil._

"Even so, just because I've never stepped out of the mansion's grounds doesn't mean I can't go out," Mukuro said. "I have other ways of going out without stepping off the grounds."

"Well, you can do that since Master hasn't ordered me to keep you prisoner in every way possible," Tsunayoshi replied. "But one would prefer to do things without someone looking over their shoulder at every second, is that not right?"

Mukuro glared. "Then I'll just have to remove that someone who looks over my shoulder every second."

"Good luck with that, Mr. Devil," Tsunayoshi called Mukuro. "Because it will not be that easy."

'_Mr. Devil?'_ Mukuro repeated in his head, confused.

"Because we, the People of the Zangetsu Household, will not allow you and your darklings to do your evil doings, Mr. Devil!" Tsunayoshi shouted, pointing dramatically at Mukuro.

An awkward silence filled the yard before Kikyo and Zakuro stepped in.

"The play will now be taking a break," Zakuro said, gaining everyone's attention.

"Children, if you need to use the restrooms, boys, please follow Daisy, girls, follow Bluebell, they'll lead you to your respective little children's rooms," Kikyo added.

"Then when you come back, we'll be in the theater room, watching the rest of the play," Zakuro finished. "The good guys and the bad guys need to rest before the big battle."

The children yammered on and off about the good guys, the People of the Zangetsu Household, and the bad guys, Mr. Devil and his Darklings, as they separated into two groups, following Daisy and Bluebell and the chaperons. Only the adults of the underworld stayed.

"Yamamoto-kun, let's put some bandages on that wound of yours," Kikyo said.

"Ah, sure," Takeshi stood up, following Kikyo onto the bleachers.

"Hey, Tsuna, I know that you're doing that pose to keep up the act that you're doing a play, but why does Mukuro have to be frozen, too?" Zakuro asked.

"Because it's cooler that way," Tsuna replied.

'_How is it cooler?'_ ran through everyone's minds. Then Mukuro thought of something very important.

"Wait! What play?!" Mukuro demanded.

"The play of 'the People of the Zangetsu Household VS Mr. Devil and his Darklings'," Kikyo explained, finishing wrapping the bandage around Takeshi's arm. "Didn't Tsuna just say a line from it?"

"Since when is there a play like that?" Hayato asked.

"Since I called Mukuro by his character's name, Mr. Devil," Tsuna explained.

Everyone other than the staff and Zangetsu sweat dropped. _'How does that automatically become a play?'_ they all thought.

"But what did you mean by 'in the theater room'?" Reborn asked, assumed at the turn out of events.

"Since some parts of the upcoming fight will be too graphic and too 'against-the-laws-of-physics', we've decided to have the children watch some Power Rangers that's been edited to 'the People of the Zangetsu Household VS Mr. Devil and his Darklings'," Tsuna explained.

"You guys had prepared for this?" Dino asked. "You mean, you already knew that Mukuro was him and that he was after you, Tsuna?"

"Of course I didn't," Tsuna replied, shocking Dino, Mukuro and the others. "It's just that Mukuro seemed to be the type that would be the cunningly manipulative evil guy, and everyone else seemed devoted to him, so I named him to be the bad guy, Mr. Devil. Mr. Devil suits Mukuro, doesn't it?"

"Ku," Mukuro sounded. "KuFuFuFuFuFu." Then it turned into boisterous laughter. Everyone stared at him, wondering why he started laughing all of a sudden.

"Just like all the others," Mukuro muttered. Only the sharp ears of Reborn, Zangetsu, Tsuna, Kikyo, and Zakuro heard him.

"I'm amazed. You figured out that I am suitable for the role of the bad guy and that I was 'Rokudo Mukuro', but you have yet to lock me up," Mukuro said.

"I already told you. You're being locked up just by staying on the mansion's grounds," Tsunayoshi replied.

"It's no different from prison then," Mukuro commented. He took out a long staff and attached it to his three-pronged knife, turning it to a trident.

"If I don't take down the top dog, then I will be hunted," Mukuro said as he walked towards Tsuna. "In which case, there is only one way out!"

Mukuro charged at Tsuna, raising the trident; his red eye's kanji changed into the kanji Four. He bypassed the head butler and stopped momentarily.

Then Tsuna coughed up blood, collapsing as numerous slash wounds appeared on her body.

"Jyuudaime!" Hayato shouted.

"Vongola Decimo!" Dino shouted.

"Hey, Mukuro," a voice came from the direction of the bleachers. Everyone turned to see Tsuna, without her tail coat, sitting casually on the bleachers.

"Just who were you aiming for?" Tsuna asked as the spot she was just at was replaced by a battered tailcoat that Mukuro had slashed at ruthlessly.

Those who did not know about Tsuna's exclusive childhood training with Zangetsu, meaning Takeshi, Hayato, Mukuro and the others, Dino and his men, were surprised at the exchange. Mukuro, however, was more amused than surprised.

"Kufufu, seems like you're more of a formidable foe than I thought."

"Of course. I am, after all, the butler of the Zangetsu Household."

_**Theater Room**_

The 'head butler' walked to the front of the theater screen, facing the children who were waiting for 'The People of the Zangetsu Household VS Mr. Devil and his Darklings.'

"Hello, children. In a moment, we'll be starting the play," 'Tsunayoshi' said. "Please stay in your seats and keep quiet. If you need something, wave your chaperones over and we'll help you."

Then 'Tsunayoshi' walked off; the screen turned on and it showed the last scene before the awkward silence.

"Hey, where is everyone?" Bluebell asked, keeping away from this 'head butler'.

"They're all outside," the 'head butler' explained. "I'll make sure that the kids stay in. Go do your duties now."

"Don't boss us around!" Bluebell snapped as quietly as she could without disturbing the children.

_**Outside**_

"Hey, Mr. Devil," Tsuna called out. "Since you're targeting me, that means I have to hide, right?"

"Jyuudaime! You should get out of the mansion!" Hayato shouted. "Jyuudaime said that Rokudo can't get out of the mansion grounds, right!? That means Jyuudaime should get out of the mansion!"

"But I don't want that. That's boring…" Tsuna complained. "Instead of running away, let's play tag!"

Tsuna disappeared and took the tie that was around Mukuro's neck. "The tag game will now start! Whoever is able to get Mr. Devil's tie from me will be a day of servitude from me! As long as the orders are not 'kill', I will do anything you desire! Catch me if you can!"

Then Tsuna disappeared.

"A game of tag?" Mukuro/Mr. Devil repeated. "Is this some joke to her?"

"It's not just a game," Kikyo said. "Our head butler waged a day of servitude from her, which means anything you want done, even if it's the impossible, or too time-consuming, she'll do it as long as the orders are not to kill."

"Which means…" Zakuro took out two zip-guns. "I have to get my game on, or the kids'll get the prize."

"Hey! Jyuudaime isn't some toy!" Hayato protested.

"Yes. Quite true," Kikyo replied. "The prize is a day of servitude. For example, Mr. Devil wanted to possess our head butler's body, correct? Then all he has to do is to capture his tie back and he can possess Tsunayoshi's body."

"Kufufu. Then all I have to do is to get my tie back," Mukuro said. "Everyone, capture Sawada Tsunahime and get my tie!"

"Got it!" M.M. said.

"I'll chase down that rabbit, pyon!" Ken declared.

"Ken, that head butler isn't a rabbit," Chikusa stated.

"Shut up, Kakipii!"

"Yes, our head butler isn't a rabbit," Kikyo said. "Our butler is something else."

_**Tsuna**_

Right now, Tsuna is being chased by Bluebell and Daisy. Daisy had a Gatling gun that somehow fitted into his stuffed doll. Bluebell had two sniper rifles in each hand. Both had been shooting at Tsuna in hopes that she would let go of the tie.

So far, Tsuna's been dodging every bullet that's come her way.

Finally, Tsuna landed on top of the roof of the East Wing. "Hey, it's really boring with just you guys."

"Hey! We're trying here! You're just too fast!" Bluebell whined.

"I thought that if I trained in every spare time I have, I'd catch up to you, but…" Daisy said, "Tsuna's just playing us!"

Tsuna just stuck out her tongue and did a victory sign in a playful way. "As if I'd be so easily caught up with just 2 years of training."

Then Tsuna vanished and a rain of bullets fell like hail upon the spot she was just at.

"Man, you kids got here first," Zakuro commented, the one who just shot the rain of bullets.

"What kids!?" Bluebell cried. "First that red-haired girl, and now you!"

"Now, now, Bluebell," Tsuna appeared at the maid's shoulder. "Zakuro's known you longer than M.M. has. Of course he's allowed to call you nicknames."

"We have to move," Tsuna urged, pushing Daisy away and carrying Bluebell over her shoulder.

Needles showered the roof and stuck there.

"You dodged that," Chikusa commented. "Just as Mukuro-sama said, you're not an ordinary butler."

"Of course I'm not an ordinary butler," Tsuna replied. "If I wasn't, how am I able to do what Master demands of me? That slave driver."

"What slave driver! You're the only slave driver around!" Bluebell complained.

"Here you are, Bluebell," Tsuna dropped Bluebell in the pool.

"I know I said I like swimming, but that was too much!" Bluebell cried.

Tsuna followed Bluebell in and dunked her head in. Then the pool vibrated and raised temperature. Bluebell didn't understand why the pool's temperature was rising. She took off her maid's pinafore, leaving her dress.

"What was that?" Bluebell cried, breathing deeply once she rose to the top.

"Not bad. You dodged that pretty well, Butler," M.M. commented, holding a clarinet.

"This is probably the first time that I've been attacked by such an instrument," Tsuna replied.

"No doubt that clarinet's the cause of the pool's rising temperature," Zakuro said, coming around the corner.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Daisy asked.

"The clarinet acts like a microwave oven," Zakuro explained. "When a substance, like the pool, is exposed to radiation, its water molecules will start vibration, causing its temperature to rise. Because the pool is big, it didn't explode that much."

"So what if you know all that?" replied M.M. "That right. The temperature of a substance is governed by the intensity of vibration of its atoms. If the atoms are vibrating vigorously, the friction will cause the substance's temperature to rise. The special sound wave from this clarinet will cause atoms to vibrate at a frequency of five billion times per minute. The substance will reach its boiling point instantly. If humans were to bask in this sound wave, they would also boil with a BOOM! Ahahahahaha!"

"She's crazy," Daisy commented.

"Yes, she's definitely crazy," Zakuro added.

"Well, you guys are crazy for wanting to work at this mansion for such low pay!" M.M. cried back. "Also, this butler's such a slave driver. I'm amazed that you haven't killed yourselves yet!"

"Gahh!" M.M. was propelled by a force that pushed her forward, a force that hurt her body at certain points.

"What the?"

"They may be rubber bullets, but they still hurt like hell," Zakuro said, holding a gun, shooting at M.M.

"Then lay off the trigger!" M.M. yelled.

_**Theater room**_

"If it's not supposed to hurt, then why are you attacking me!?" M.M., the incubus of Mr. Devil's, screeched at Zakuro, the cook of Zangetsu household, who keeps shooting laser beams.

"So cool~!" murmured the children.

"Doesn't this remind you of Power Rangers?" one of the chaperones asked.

"Yeah, totally," another chaperone replied.

_**Pool**_

Ken and Chikusa were pushed into the pool.

"Daisy, what are you doing?" Zakuro asked.

"Eliminating the enemy," the gardener replied.

"The less people there are, the less competition. We'll leave these guys to Bluebell. But where are the others?" Daisy said as Bluebell drowned Ken, Chikusa, and M.M to unconsciousness. Tsuna seemed to have snuck off somewhere.

"Over here," Birds called out.

"Eh? What are you doing so close to the wall?" Zakuro asked.

"Please pay attention to the monitor that I have set up," Birds explained.

On the projector, there was the theater roomful of kids on one screen and Takeshi on the other.

"What are you doing with the kids?" Hayato asked, appearing on the scene.

"What took you so long?" Daisy asked.

'None of your business!" Hayato snapped. _'But the truth is I got left behind. As Juudaime's right-hand man, I'll never mention it.'_

"These children are my targets,' Birds explained.

"Targets?" Hayato repeated.

"As my name suggests, my hobby is keeping birds," Birds explained. "The image you're watching on screen is being transmitted to us by my cute little birds. They have miniature cameras buried in them."

On the screen with the theater room revealed that it's taken from the outside. Takeshi's screen revealed that he's conversing with Kikyo. Then Daisy noticed something moving in the background.

"Aren't those the twins in the background?" Daisy asked.

"So you've noticed," Birds said. "The twins are very loyal to me. Remember their faces? That's a result of being locked up for ten years in restraints that were never once removed. That's because they are brutal serial killers."

"What are you going to do to them?" Zakuro asked.

"Hm? Nothing at all," Birds replied. "If all of you follow my orders, that is."

"Quit fucking around!" Hayato demanded, grabbing Birds by his collar. "The kids and that baseball idiot have nothing to do with this! If you don't call those twins off, I'm going to tear you apart!"

"Calm down, clumsy kid," Zakuro called.

"Who're you calling 'clumsy kid'!?"

"Because involving our guests into our game is not the way you're going to be able to get Rokudo Mukuro's tie," Zakuro said.

"You're still on about that?! Right now, it's not about a tag game! It's about life or death!"

"Did you know, Birds? That in our household, we don't tolerate our staff harming our guests, even if it's an accident," Daisy said. "See."

Hayato and Birds looked at the screen.

The twin that was in the theater room fell to the ground and had blood coming out of its chest, staining the carpet with blood. Someone wearing a butler outfit stepped in view of the camera, its back turned to it. Someone who looked like Tsunayoshi. That someone was holding a white sword that's stained with blood.

"Jyuudaime got to the theater room so fast," Hayato praised.

"If that's the case, Jiji, attack the other one!" Birds ordered.

"Hey, did you forget, Kikyo's there," Zakuro replied.

The other screen that had Takeshi showed that the twin was beaten to unconsciousness by Kikyo who's holding a stone basin (a basin for birds to wash in) and Takeshi was blind-folded.

"How is that possible!?" Birds cried. "The twins were known as the twin devils!"

"Tsunayoshi's even scarier," Zakuro and Daisy said. "He's the one who could beat you up while being polite about it with a smile on his face."

"And since that's that." Zakuro knocked him out using the base of his gun.

"Eh? It only took one hit?" Hayato commented.

"The ones in power are usually never all that," Daisy explained.

"All that's left is the fake 'Mukuro'," Zakuro said.

A large steel scale ball with a chain crashed the ground. Fake 'Mukuro' appeared on the scene.

"Ah! The garden!" Daisy cried.

"You're more worried about that?!" Hayato cried.

"Even if this is a game, we're still working," Zakuro explained.

The steel ball crashed into the mansion, causing windows to shatter and walls to collapse.

"Crap! Tsuna's going to kill us!" Zakuro cried.

"If we were hit directly by that steel ball, we're finished," Hayato said.

"But where did he get that ball?" Daisy wondered. "I know that Tsuna and the Master have their weapons in their weaponry room."

"I've had it all this time," fake 'Mukuro' replied, swinging his ball over his head.

"Impossible!" Daisy exclaimed. "I'm the only one allowed to have their weapon hidden!"

"Uh… You're not the only one. Tsuna and Master are two examples," Zakuro reasoned.

"Senjareppa!" exclaimed the 'fake' Mukuro as he slammed his palm into the steel ball to go forward.

Daisy moved to dodge the ball, but he felt himself forced back into the ball's way, causing his stomach to be pummeled.

"Daisy!?" Hayato exclaimed. "Why?! He completely dodged it!"

"Whatever. If Daisy can't defeat him, then he's not a good gardener," Zakuro said calmly.

"What does that have to do with this?!" Hayato demanded.

"Because the gardens are his responsibility and his job," Zakuro said as if it explained everything.

"Right now should be worrying about our lives! Not our jobs!" Hayato argued.

"No. Zakuro is right," Daisy said, standing up. His bloodied form didn't really ease Hayato's worries, but he did surprise him and fake 'Mukuro'.

"Impossible! You should be unable to even stand up," fake 'Mukuro' said.

"That's because if I just let you do as you want, Tsuna'll scold me big time," Daisy explained. "I mean, look. Thanks to you, the garden's completely ruined."

"Now should not be worrying about the garden!" Hayato shouted.

"But if we don't, when the kids come out, what'll happen then?" Zakuro asked.

"We-we'll just say that aliens did this!"

"Aliens? Only kids who watch 'Ultraman' will believe that."

"Even so, it's foolish to resist," said fake 'Mukuro'. "These useless struggles will only invite your tragic deaths. Senjareppa!" He swung his steel ball and slammed it toward Daisy again.

Before Daisy did anything, a stone basin knocked the ball out of its course.

"Sorry, Daisy." Kikyo appeared on the scene, being the one who threw the stone basin. "Could you leave this 'Mukuro' to me? I know you're angry about the garden, but the one who's most angry is me, the one who watched over him."

"All right then. Where's that Yamamoto?"

"At the bleachers."

"Okay, let's go."

"Wait! Is this all right!?" Hayato asked.

"Of course. Out of all four of us senior workers, Kikyo's the strongest, even with the weapons Tsuna gave us," Zakuro explained.

"Wait. Jyuudaime gave you weapons?" Whether Hayato was answered or not, the gardener and the cook dragged him away.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Bluebell cried, getting out of the pool and running after the trio.

"What took you so long?"

"I was tying up those three annoying people!" Bluebell glowered.

Meanwhile, Kikyo and fake 'Mukuro' were at a standstill.

'_The power of that steel ball lies on the ball's surface,'_ Kikyo thought. _'The snake-shaped ditched cause the flow of any air that strikes the ball to bend into a spiral. An air current that passes through those ditches is entangles in complex knots, which amplifies its power many times, resulting in a violent gale. Thus, Daisy was pulled back to the ball's way.'_

'_Kikyo is no ordinary house steward,'_ fake 'Mukuro' pondered. _'He threw a stone basin to knock it off course. That took skill and technique.'_

"I…had hoped that I would not have to fight you," fake 'Mukuro' confessed.

"But we have to, otherwise Tsuna'll have our heads," Kikyo said cheerfully. "And besides, I have some questions to ask you, regarding the real Rokudo Mukuro."

"It's no use. Boujareppa!" fake 'Mukuro' slammed both his palms at the steel ball.

Kikyo took out two guns and rapidly shot at the ball. The ball's air currents picked up the dirt and air around it, including the bullets. Then the ball was surrounded by explosions as the bullets detonated. Fake 'Mukuro' was surprised while Kikyo smirked.

"There were bombs inside the bullets, specially made by a close friend of Tsuna's," Kikyo explained. "After some time the bullets were fired, it'll blow up. And in the meantime,"

Kikyo appeared in front of fake 'Mukuro', "if we were to make this a battle of fists, I do have some confidence that I CAN WIN!"

Kikyo gave fake 'Mukuro' an upper cut, followed by a punch to the abdomen, throwing fake 'Mukuro' in the air currents. Fake 'Mukuro' was sucked into the currents and the ball slammed into his back.

"Although usage of disposable weapons is not out of the question."

Fake 'Mukuro' got up, his jacket torn and dirty. "Looks like I'll have to use my full power against you."

"Now that's a good idea," Kikyo chuckled. "Let's make the best of this."

_**Tsuna**_

Tsuna escaped the pool and was now walking on the roof. Then the butler paused. "You know, if you're a peeping tom, at least hide your charisma because it practically glows."

"Kufufufu, me? As a peeping tom? Don't even associate me as one," Mukuro replied, appearing on the roof a few feet behind Tsuna.

"But you keep staring at me and you're not even attempting to take back your tie."

"That's because I plan on possessing your body, not monopolizing you for a day."

"What for?"

"I've said enough." Mukuro took out a staff and attached his three-pronged knife. "Are you ready for hand-to-hand direct combat?"

"Just about." Tsuna reached around her back and took out a large sword. The sword resembled a large kitchen knife and was as tall as Tsuna was. As massive as the sword is impressive, the sword had no hilt or guard. Its handle was wrapped in bandages.

"Oh? You wish to use such a large sword against me? Size isn't everything you know."

"I know that. That's why don't underestimate me."

"I wish the same as of you."

The two leaped and clashed their weapons.

_**Kikyo and fake 'Mukuro'**_

After exchanging multiple fists, Kikyo and fake 'Mukuro' paused their battle to catch their breath. Kikyo has a gash above his left eye. Fake 'Mukuro' had bruises across his abdomen.

"Who are you really?" fake 'Mukuro' asked.

"If you answer, I'll answer."

Fake 'Mukuro' hesitated. Then he decided to ignore and attack Kikyo head-on.

_**Tsuna and Mukuro**_

Tsuna and Mukuro were on opposite ends of the mansion's roof. Tsuna barely escaped unscathed, only receiving the blunt end's attacks. Mukuro was worse; he got nicks and cuts from Tsuna's large sword.

"Impressive. You've encountered the six paths of reincarnation," Tsuna commented.

"Oh, you've noticed?" Mukuro asked, his right red eye in the kanji four.

"Of course. It's hard to not notice that indigo fire in your right eye."

"It's thanks to the aura. The aura of hand-to-hand combating skill emitted by the fourth state, the state of Shura. You see, my body had already been through all six paths to Hades in my previous lives, and it has all been carved into my memory. The six journeys through Hades have given me six fighting skills."

"Ehh~? How intriguing. I've never seen a devil other than a selected few."

"A devil? I suppose you can call me that. Now, let me show you my prowess." Mukuro tapped the roof as his right eye turned to the kanji 1. Then the roof collapsed, with some glowing indigo light from below.

"I see. Illusions," Tsuna said, using her big sword to give her a slight cut. After the numbing pain, the roof went back to normal.

"Kufufu. Not bad. That was the first path, the state of Hell. A skill to break one's mind through an endless nightmare. You've experienced the six paths, no?"

"Not at all. I'm only experienced against illusions."

"Only against illusions? Huh. I suppose that person whom you've battled before was weak."

"Depends on how you call 'weak'."

"That is so true." Mukuro's eye turned to the kanji 3.

"My, my. Snakes?" Tsuna murmured as snakes fell from the sky.

"This is the third path of animals. A person driven to death is able to summon living creatures," Mukuro explained. "Now, how will you fight back?"

Tsuna smirked and disappeared from her spot. Mukuro's eyes widen and then ducked as Tsuna slashed her sword at where he was standing seconds before.

"Impressive. How were you able to get from there to here?" Mukuro asked as he propelled himself back to the group of poisonous snakes, which were going towards the butler.

"If you can't see me, then your eyes must be slow," Tsuna replied, taking out a pocket watch. "Oh, dear. We're running out of time. I might as well wrap this up."

"What?"

Tsuna's power engulfed him; an immense pressure froze him in place. Tsuna was surrounded by a raven black with a tinge of orange aura, resembling a skull yelling.

'_I'm…going to be defeated!'_ Mukuro thought.

Tsuna raised her sword. "Getsuga Tensho!"

As she brought down her sword, a large gash appeared on the roof, as if it was sliced by a sword. And blood gashed out of the slash Mukuro received. The snakes were blown away; his trident was cut in half. Finally, Mukuro collapsed on the roof.

"Done," Tsuna said.


	8. Chapter 8: Butler and Compromise

"Jyuudaime!" Hayato shouted as he looked up at the roof.

"Hayato! Catch!" Tsuna replied, throwing something over the roof.

Obeying his boss's order, Hayato caught that something, which turned out to be a bloodied Mukuro.

"Seems like he bit off more than he could chew," Zakuro commented.

"He probably underestimated Tsuna," Daisy added.

"Hayato! Take care of Mukuro! I have to clean up!" Tsuna said. "And everyone else, clean up the garden and pool! The children will be done with the play!"

"Understood!" Daisy, Zakuro, Bluebell, and Hayato saluted.

"Come, Gokudera, I'll show you where the infirmity is," Kikyo said, carrying fake 'Mukuro' over his shoulder.

"House steward!" Hayato exclaimed. Kikyo was looking better for the worse. Fake 'Mukuro' was not better off.

"I'm all right. Come, we have to clean up before the children leave," Kikyo said.

Daisy quickly replaced the grass that was messed up. Zakuro and Bluebell moved the unconscious M.M., Ken, and Chikusa to the kitchen's storage room and fixed the ruined windows and wall. Tsuna replaced the roof.

"The play was so much fun!" "I wanna be People of the Zangetsu Household!" "Mr. Devil looks so cool for a bad guy." the children exclaimed.

"Children! Be sure to have some goodies bags before you leave, okay!" Bluebell shouted over the clamor.

"Hai!" the children surrounded the maid, the cook, and the gardener as they got their treats.

In a hallway inside the mansion, the head butler and the 'head butler' passed by each other.

"How were the children?" the head butler whispered.

"They were good little kids," the 'head butler' replied. "They didn't even notice that a bug had snuck in."

"That's good. What about Takeshi?"

"He was sent home with instructions to rest up."

"And the mafian guests?"

"With the master."

"I see. Good work today." Then the two went their ways.

_**Infirmity**_

Mukuro's head was pounding. He roused himself to wake.

"Oh, are you awake?" Kikyo's voice was heard.

Mukuro sat up, but his headache worsened.

"Your fight with Tsuna was not an easy one, so don't be so eager to move."

"Where are Ken, Chikusa, and M.M.?"

"We hid them in the kitchen's storage room because that was the closest place to the pool."

"Be grateful that Jyuudaime decided to let you live because you really should be locked up!" Hayato added.

"Actually, he's already a prisoner, so there's nothing to be changed at all," Kikyo rebutted.

"What!?" Hayato exclaimed. "But he should be locked up! Even Jyuudaime saw how dangerous he is!"

"Yes, but—no offense to you, Mukuro-kun—Tsuna easily beat him," Kikyo replied.

"None taken…" Mukuro said sarcastically.

"Fine then. The next time you try to beat up Jyuudaime, I'll blow you sky high!" Hayato threatened Mukuro.

"That's only if we leave any pieces for you," Kikyo said.

"What about pieces?" 'Tsunayoshi' asked, coming in.

Kikyo, knowing exactly who came in, was cautious, standing up. "Head butler."

Mukuro noticed Kikyo's change of behavior. Hayato was ignorant. "Jyuudaime, have the kids left?"

"Yes. The children were quite ecstatic about their treats," 'Tsunayoshi' replied.

"Where are the others, head butler?" Kikyo asked.

"They'll be right over." 'Tsunayoshi' took out a pocket watch. "Oh, it's nearly time for Master's mid-afternoon tea. I must leave and prepare it. I'll leave everything here to you, Kikyo."

"Understood," Kikyo saluted.

"But, Jyuudaime! What about me!" Hayato demanded.

"You're just a newbie at this mansion," 'Tsunayoshi' explained kindly yet cruelly. "Even if you devote your loyalty to me and the master of this mansion, you'll only cause trouble if you don't shape up. In all honesty, you've been causing trouble since you came to this mansion. If I had my choice, you would've been kicked out. However, Reborn-san specifically asked for you to continue working here in your spare time. If you really do wish to become the right-hand man, then learn to work with others instead of pushing them away. Because isn't the right-hand man supposed to be able to handle things that the boss doesn't have the time to do? Look at Kikyo. I can clearly call him my right-hand man because he doesn't cause trouble and know what to do. If you really want to stay here, then shape up. Do you understand?"

"Ha-hai…Jyuudaime…" Hayato replied, disheartened.

'Tsunayoshi' smiled. "See you later then." The head butler left the room.

Hayato looked so miserable that Kikyo couldn't help but pity him a little.

"The 'head butler' is right, you know," Kikyo added.

An arrow that said 'is right' shot Hayato in the heart, making him collapse.

"If you just shape up a bit, then you won't be in the red zone," Kikyo said. "It's just like learning."

"That doesn't matter now," Hayato replied. "What matters is the fact that Jyuudaime chooses you to be his right-hand man!"

Hayato stood up and glared at the house steward.

"Of course the head butler should," Kikyo said. "I was hand-picked by Tsuna to come to this mansion, unlike you."

"Yo-you were hand-picked!?" Hayato repeated.

"Yes. In order to not be thrown away, I learned what I could to stay here," Kikyo continued. "In order to continue to stay here, to stay next to that child who represents a spider's thread of salvation to me, I'll do whatever I can, even if it means killing another. What about you?"

"Of course the answer's easy," Hayato scoffed. "I'll even risk my life to stay here. Even if Jyuudaime won't acknowledge me again, I'll continue to support Jyuudaime."

"Oh, that's good," Tsunayoshi said, coming up behind the two. "I was wondering what would happen if Hayato suddenly disappeared."

"Whaa! Jyuudaime, how long were you there!?" Hayato exclaimed.

"' In order to continue to stay here, to stay next to that child who represents a spider's thread of salvation to me'," Tsunayoshi recited.

"You've been here that long?" Mukuro asked. "I didn't even notice you."

"I'm good at stealth," Tsunayoshi raised a victory sign. "That makes it easier for stalking purposes."

'_Stalking?'_ thought Mukuro and Hayato, sweat dropping a bit.

"Wait. Jyuudaime, didn't you say that you left to give the master tea or something?" Hayato asked.

"I came back because I already did," Tsuna replied.

"You did! That fast? It wasn't even a minute!" Hayato exclaimed. "That's so cool, Jyuudaime!"

"A butler is to be efficient in time and poise," Tsunayoshi boasted. "If I couldn't manage that as the butler of the Zangetsu Household, then where on earth would we be?"

"In Hell," Mukuro said, raising a gun.

"What the-!" Hayato and Kikyo stood in front of Tsunayoshi.

"Where'd you get that gun?" Hayato demanded.

"Let's meet again, Arrivederci," said Mukuro before bringing the gun to his head and shooting himself.

"…he really did it," said Hayato.

"Why'd he do that?" wondered Tsuna. "He seemed to have a trump card up his sleeve."

"He probably thought he'd rather die than be captured alive," suggested Kikyo.

"How depressing…" complained Hayato.

Tsunayoshi felt something. _'What's this feeling? Something's wrong.'_

An explosion came from the kitchen.

"That'll be Zakuro again," Kikyo complained. "I swear, I don't know what goes on in that man's head to purchase items that are not even instruments for cooking."

"Kikyo, be careful, all right?" Tsuna told him.

Kikyo stared at Tsuna, a bit surprised. "Understood," Kikyo smiled, a bit touched, and left.

"I wonder what happened?" Hayato asked.

"I don't know," Tsunayoshi replied. "I'll check on the master. Hayato, stay here and watch over the other one."

"Oh, understood, Jyuudaime," Hayato replied, looking over at fake 'Mukuro's comatose body.

Tsunayoshi quickly went over to the master's side, but stopped short when he saw that the master was chatting with his guests. Zangetsu was currently in the East wing with Reborn, Dino and his men, and Torikabuto nearby.

'_Things are all right here,'_ Tsunayoshi thought. _'Better make sure that it stays this way.'_

_**Kikyo**_

"What's going on?" Kikyo asked, coming into the kitchen.

"We have to get outta here!?" Zakuro said, pushing him out.

"What do you mean?" Kikyo asked, feeling himself dragged away by the cook, the gardener, and the maid.

"Even though I drowned them to unconsciousness, those two suddenly woke up!" Bluebell cried, gesturing to the two, Ken and Chikusa, that's following them.

"Other than Tsuna-chan, that's the first time I've ever seen someone do something so extraordinary!" Daisy exclaimed.

"Come to think of it, Tsuna told me to be careful," Kikyo said.

"EH?!" Usually, if Tsuna told people to be careful when something seems normal, it means that something will happen.

"So she meant this," Kikyo said, looking at the two. "We'll have to careful. We have guests in the East Wing."

"Understood!" the three said.

Daisy took out his Gatling gun from his doll and shot at the two. The bullets hit their mark, exploding into frost. More special bullets made by Tsuna's scientist friend. Once hit upon impact, the bullet will freeze its mark. The bullets may have frozen them, but they still continued.

"Oh my God!" Bluebell shrieked.

"Okay! Either they're not normal or, Bluebell, you did something to them," Zakuro said.

"If I did do something to them, I would've just put rocks in their stomachs!" Bluebell replied.

Then Kikyo thought about Mukuro's suicide. "Maybe it wasn't a suicide," he muttered.

"What did you say?" Daisy asked.

"Daisy, keep shooting them until they can't move at all," Kikyo ordered. "But don't kill them, otherwise we'll have a bigger mess."

"All right," Daisy replied. The foursome turned a corner. Bluebell, Zakuro, and Kikyo continued down the hallway. Daisy stayed back and kept shooting at the two. The two kept faltering until the frost completely covered, rendering them unable to move at all.

"*sigh* what happened to them?" Daisy wondered. _'Come to think of it, their right eyes looked like Mukuro's right eye, only with the kanji 2. I wonder how that happened?'_

Then the frost cracked a bit. Through instinct, Daisy shot at the two repeatedly over and over again until the frost spread to the walls and he was out of bullets.

"*sigh* At least we don't have to worry about them for now," Daisy sighed. "But…" He thought of Tsuna. Deciding to stay in case something happened, he sat against the wall and waited.

_**Hayato**_

Hayato was really bored out of his mind. Just watching over fake 'Mukuro's comatose state was not the least bit fun.

"Hey!" Takeshi said, coming into the infirmity.

"Hmm? Baseball idiot, what were you?" Hayato demanded.

"I got lost," Takeshi said. "Whoa. Is this a real dead body?" He went over to Mukuro's bed.

"Yeah. Idiot killed himself," Hayato explained.

"Really?" Takeshi commented. "Looks fake to me."

"Hmm? How? Where?"

"Here!"

When Hayato crept near Mukuro's dead body, Takeshi stabbed him with the three-pronged knife that was owned by Mukuro.

"You! What were you doing!?" Hayato asked, holding his stab wound.

"Kufufu. And so, we meet again," answered Takeshi, possessed by Mukuro as his right eye has Mukuro's red eye with the kanji 6. "Kufufu. There are still things I have to do. So, I have returned from the depths of hell."

"Damn you…" Hayato cursed before fainting. Then he woke up, his right eye Mukuro's eye.

"Kufufufu," the two laughed.

"Now all that's left is the Vongola Princess," Hayato/Mukuro said.

"I'm sorry, but you can't go anywhere," Tsunayoshi appeared, glaring at the two.

"Oh? How long have you been here?" Takeshi/Mukuro asked.

"Long enough to dig up what your family was about," Tsunayoshi explained, shocking Mukuro. "That bullet you shot yourself with is called the Possession bullet, made by the Estraneo family. It allows someone to possess another person's body and control with his will, something similar to mind control, only on a complete different level. To handle it well like now with two different people, let alone four, requires not just a very strong spirit, but also a virtuous affinity with the bullet. But, the use of the bullet was so inhuman that the mafia world declared it forbidden, and destroyed its manufacturing instructions, including the Estraneo family, from which you, Rokudo Mukuro, Joshima Ken, and Kakimoto Chikusa were born into. Being born into the Estraneo family meant horrible and hellish experiments from day-to-day for you three, correct?"

Mukuro just had a hellish and demonic look on Takeshi's and Hayato's faces, an indigo flame in the right eye.

"I suppose I'm correct," Tsunayoshi sighed. "Then can you please explain why you're after me? Is it vengeance on the mafia world?"

"Why ask when you've already answered your own answer," Takeshi/Mukuro sneered.

Tsunayoshi sighed. Then the butler appeared behind the two, and, controlling the flame in her that she saw Mukuro use, hit them with a chop at the base of their neck with enough force to make them fall face flat to the ground. Even though Mukuro tried to follow the butler, Hayato's and Takeshi's eyes were too slow to follow Tsuna. The two couldn't get up from the ground. Each time they tried to get up, they slipped and fall down again.

Hayato/Mukuro realized that when he tried to move his left hand, his right foot moved. Takeshi/Mukuro found out that when he tried to move his chin, his left arm moved.

Tsunayoshi looked at his hand. "I see. So this is the power of controlling the flame. I attacked your lines of communications by using the flame. It scrambled the electrical impulses that carry messages from the brain to different parts of the body. With the lines cut off from the brain, the bodies won't know what to do. I've literally short-circuited Takeshi and Hayato. Now, will you leave their body and go back to yours, Mukuro?"

Mukuro got up from the bed, his trident staff in his hand and a bloody spot on the side of his forehead where he shot himself.

"Kufufu. I'm amused. How can a butler possess such skills, especially at such a young age?" Mukuro asked. "Are you sure you aren't some child prodigy?"

"Nope. I am merely a butler," Tsunayoshi replied.

"But, you're pushing your luck if you think this is all it takes. Out of the 6 battle skills I possess, there's one more I haven't used, remember?"

"Ah, yes. That fifth path, the state of humans."

"Exactly, this world that we're living in is the state of humans," continued Mukuro.

"I've been told that among the 6 paths, it's the most ugliest and dangerous path of all."

"That's true," agreed Mukuro. "You and I are not being cynical. Because I hate this world, I hate this skill the most. If possible, I would rather not have used it."

"Well, the state of humans has always been ugly," said Tsuna.

Mukuro touched his right eye and attempted to squish it. As he squished it, blood gushed out and stained his hand black. Blood kept coming out of his eye that now says 5 on it and a black fire enveloped his body. "Because, it's also the most dangerous skill."

"Huh? I thought my master and I were the only ones with the color black," Tsunayoshi commented.

"Do you see it?" asked Mukuro. "When a fighter emits an aura from their fighting spirit, it represents a burst of their fighting spirit. In other words…" Mukuro charged at Tsuna, faster than he was before. "Their strength!"

Tsunayoshi quickly brought out the sword and blocked the staff before it could even collide with his head. Tsunayoshi noticed that Mukuro's force was stronger than before as well. There was a murderous look on Mukuro's face, as if to say he won't hold back any more.

"We still have guests in the mansion; please restrain yourself for the moment," Tsunayoshi replied, his sword and Mukuro's trident clashing.

"I have been waiting for this for the past 7 years now. What makes you think that I'll wait any longer?!" Mukuro shouted.

"My mistake. Fine, I'll do something that'll make you pause for the moment then," Tsunayoshi sighed.

Throwing the sword away, Tsunayoshi dodged the trident and grabbed Mukuro's head. Mukuro had expected a head butt, but he did not expect a kiss. He also didn't expect there to be tongue.

With Mukuro distracted, Tsuna concentrated her Dying Will flame into her hands and cleansed his dark aura away. Feeling lethargic under Tsunayoshi's pure Dying Will flame, Mukuro fell asleep. Tsunayoshi moved his body onto the bed and Mukuro's trident faded away.

Tsunayoshi patted Mukuro's head. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine, Mukuro-kun."

"I've been here for the past five years and not once did I ever see you kiss like that," was said behind the butler.

Tsunayoshi looked up and saw Kikyo, Zakuro, and Bluebell at the doorway. Zakuro and Bluebell were shocked out of their wits, while Kikyo seemed slightly off put.

"You can learn enough by watching," Tsunayoshi replied. "You don't really need a teacher or a partner if you have the will to learn."

"*sigh* anyways, Daisy is taking care of Joshima Ken and Kakimoto Chikusa," Kikyo reported. "What are we to do with them?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Tsunayoshi replied. "We'll have to see what the Master and his guests say."

_**Later**_

"Today's dinner will be milk risotto with three kinds of mushroom, and a pot-au-feu of pork and wine. Since Reborn-san prefers coffee, we have prepared espresso. For dessert, we have a compote of warm apples drizzled with yogurt sauce," Tsunayoshi said as Kikyo and Bluebell served dinner to Master Zangetsu, Reborn, and Dino. Reborn told Dino's men that Dino will be taken care of in the mansion, so the men went back to the hotel for the night.

"Since Dino-dono is Italian, I presume that you are not used to Japan's use of cutlery, so I have prepared a knife and fork for you," Tsunayoshi added.

"Wow! Thank you," Dino replied. "This is better than hotel service!"

"Stupid former student, don't say things that people will misunderstand," Reborn scolded.

"It is alright. I am glad that our services were of use to you, Dino-dono."

"Yup. By the way, you're Reborn's student and the Vongola Decimo princess-to-be, aren't you?" Dino asked. "We never got the chance to talk because of the children and Rokudo Mukuro. It's really-"

"I believe you are mistaken, Dino-san," Tsunayoshi said. "I am not Reborn-san's student nor am I the Vongola Decimo-to-be. I am simply one hell of a butler."

"Eh?"

Then a bullet was shot and Tsunayoshi used Dino's knife to block it.

"Of course you are the Vongola Decimo princess-to-be. You cannot escape fate, no matter how much Moon Fang here grips his grasp on you. If you still remain here as a butler, the Vongola will do whatever it can to remove you from that position, even if it means to the ends of the earth." Reborn declared, with a hint of an evil aura that made Dino scared.

Tsunayoshi replaced Dino's knife with a new one. "I do not intend to run away and I am not under Master's grasp, for I am the one who has Master under wraps."

"Enough talk. Don't you have some more tableware to clean," Master Zangetsu ordered.

"Yes, my master," Tsunayoshi said with a low bow.

In the infirmity, Daisy saw that Mukuro had woken up. "Are you alright, Mukuro-kun?"

Mukuro looked around from his position. "Wasn't there someone on that bed over there?" Mukuro asked, gesturing to the bed fake 'Mukuro' was on.

"Oh, Vindice took Lanchia away," Daisy replied.

"Vindice!?" Mukuro exclaimed. "Vindice came by here?"

"Yes, the Master and Tsuna have a friend who works with them," Daisy added. He thought about what happened between Tsuna, their master, and the other head butler:

_As soon as Tsunayoshi was able to get Master away from Dino and his men, and Reborn, the butler took his master to the infirmity. On their way there, they were attacked by a white version of Tsuna's sword. The owner of the white sword was 'Tsunayoshi'._

"_Ya got some nerve, callin' me here," 'Tsunayoshi' said, sneering at the two, using his countryside accent. "Especially when ya got some punk from jail as an employee here."_

"_It was a favor from an old friend," Zangetsu explained._

"_And besides, he is innocent," Tsunayoshi added. The two men stared at the cross dresser. "In a way. Still, it's no right for him to attempt to kill me and others."_

"_That's why Rokudo Mukuro shall remain here, never to be free from this mansion," Zangetsu said._

"_Alright. Vindice will take the rest, then," 'Tsunayoshi' replied._

"_Including Lanchia?"_

"_Ehhh…? Ya already knew?"_

"_I had my presumptions. Kikyo explained everything to me. I quote '_Five years ago, I was part of a mafia family in Northern Italy. I was an orphan, so the boss and family who brought me up were my life…in order to repay their kindness, I served the family as a bodyguard until I became known as the strongest guy in the area…One day, the boss picked up another orphan…it seemed that the boss really liked the boy and had great plans for him. The boy became my responsibility. I loved him like he was truly part of my family. Just like the family had treated me. Not long after that, the incident happened. I came home to the base one day after playing cards. Everyone in the family had been killed…'_"_

"_*whistle* that was a mighty-hell famous ball. That gave him a big rep."_

"_A reputation that he prefers to not have. When he investigated, he realized that he killed them under Mukuro's mind control. Since then, he has found corpses at his feet, without any memory of having killed them. Lanchia tried to commit suicide, but Mukuro prevented him. Thus, lost his name and will, and became the fake Rokudo Mukuro, became a killing machine."_

"_All the more reason why Mukuro should stay here. And besides, you Vindice owe us."_

"_Ya' sure you safe from him?"_

"_Of course. I have one hell of a butler with me."_

"_Master, you're spoiling yourself."_

_Then Vindice, a group of people wearing black cloaks and bandages around their faces, chained and took away Joshima Ken, Kakimoto Chikusa, Lanchia, M.M., Birds, and the twins. Vindice were the enforcer of the commandments in the mafia world and they trial those who cannot be trailed by the law. Since 'Tsunayoshi' worked with them, he put in a word for Joshima Ken and Kakimoto Chikusa who were going to receive a harsher trail. M.M., Birds, and Lanchia were receiving a less harsh trial. The twins were already dead._

Deciding to hide the other head butler, Daisy explained that since Vindice were indebted to Master and Tsuna, they left Mukuro alone and took everyone else. Takeshi and Hayato were taken to Takeshi's home by Zakuro.

Mukuro took the news as a bad turn. "Ku…Kufufufu…Hahahaha!" he laughed. "I can't believe it! You guys actually kept me here and not turned me to jail!? Just how foolish are you people!?"

"I believe we're just as foolish as you are," Tsunayoshi replied, coming into the room. "And besides, you're safer here than in jail with the Vindice. If you were taken with them, you would've been locked up in a cell where not even sound would penetrate."

"And I would be free here?" Mukuro scoffed. "Are you listening to yourself? If I just stay here, I can just get away and possess you some other way while escaping Vindice's control. I refuse to be under mafia control, even if it means a way to get closer to the Vongola Decimo-to-be."

"We're not mafia. We're yakuza. I will not be the Vongola Decimo-to-be. Reborn-san's just a nuisance," Tsunayoshi replied off-handedly.

"Are those words that someone like you can even utter?" Mukuro asked, sweat dropping a bit.

"Anyways, unlike jail, here you can move around anywhere as long as you are on the mansion's grounds," Tsunayoshi explained. "Take one step out of the property, you will be whisked off to Vindice. Vindice don't like the fact that they had to swallow their pride in order to erase the debt they owe my master and I, so they're watching this mansion."

"Kufufu. You amaze me, Sawada Tsunayoshi," Mukuro said.

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"Either way, thank you. Oh, and as an apology for not being able to do anything for your friends…"

Mukuro looked up as Tsunayoshi put his face closer to his. He froze when the butler's lips met his. Daisy was pretending to be busy playing with his doll as he watched the two out of the corner of his eye. When Mukuro didn't move, Tsunayoshi pried open his mouth and gave him tongue.

When he felt the wet appendage, he jerked, trying to push the cross dresser away. Tsunayoshi grasped his hands and pushed him on the bed. Then he got off of him.

"There, a kiss to cheer you up," Tsunayoshi smiled.

Mukuro could only stare flabbergasted at the butler who kissed him, even after he tried to kill said butler. "Are you…Do you….?"

"Am I…? Do I…What?"

"Do you bat for the other team?" Mukuro asked, making Daisy snort and chuckle.

"I don't. I don't bat for the other team," Tsunayoshi replied.

"Huh?"

"Let's just say that…" Bluebell said, coming into the room and going up behind the butler. Bluebell felt around Tsunayoshi's chest.

"This butler likes guys, so this person is straight," Bluebell explained, grasping 'Tsuna's' breasts, even though they were under bandages.

Mukuro was stunned and blushed at the sight on top of him while Daisy hid his face in his doll in embarrassment.

"Bluebell, this behavior is indecent," Tsunayoshi said, pushing Bluebell's hands away.

"And you making out with our prisoner isn't?"

"Mukuro was able to fall asleep the last time I gave him such a kiss, so I presumed that he would fall asleep the same way," Tsunayoshi explained. "I suppose I was wrong."

"I still find it hard to believe that you gave your first kiss to him," Zakuro said, leaning in the doorway.

"I didn't give my first kiss to him," Tsunayoshi said. "My first kiss was given to my first love."

"And your first love is…?" Kikyo asked, coming onto the scene.

"That…" Tsunayoshi raised his index finger to his lips. "is a secret."


	9. Chapter 9: Butler and Poisoned Cow

_BOOOOM!_

Tsunayoshi looked up from dusting the library. "What has happened now?

_**Kitchen**_

Zakuro stood up from the ash-covered floor. "I thought we agreed to keep you out of the kitchen, clumsy boy."

"Shut up!" Hayato cried, getting up from the floor.

"Haha! But that was really interesting," Takeshi commented.

"No, it's not," Zakuro replied. "Let's quickly clean this up and prepare lunch."

"All right," the two teenagers said.

"Not you, clumsy boy. You're going to Daisy," Zakuro said.

"Why do I have to go outside and watch over flowers like a pansy!?" Hayato demanded.

"Because you can easily break things inside the mansion," Tsunayoshi said, coming in as the butler looked around the mess that used to be the kitchen. "As there are priceless heirlooms inside the mansion, please go outside and help Daisy."

"I…I understand, Jyuudaime…" Hayato replied, reluctantly going out.

"Now…" Tsunayoshi turned to the head chef. "What happened to cause this?" Tsunayoshi demanded, an evil aura surrounding the butler's body.

"Er…Clumsy Boy mixed this spice with this, accidentally tripped, and pressed the 'on' button on the spare flamethrower," Zakuro explained, fearing for his life.

"I still wonder why you have a flamethrower in the kitchen," Takeshi pondered out loud.

The head butler and head chef stared at him. Then they both went their ways, doing their job.

_**Early afternoon**_

"Today's lunch is pork sandwiches with a side of salad. Seeing as you will be heading out soon, Zakuro made it easy to consume," Tsunayoshi explained.

Tsunayoshi was to put the dish in front of the master, but the dish looked rather odd. The head butler knew that Zakuro is not capable of making anything to have it ooze a strange purple aroma. Tsunayoshi set the dish down on the wheeled serving cart and smiled at his master. "My mistake."

Tsunayoshi went into the kitchen, bypassed Zakuro and Takeshi, and whipped up an easy quick lunch.

"Today's lunch is potato mint salad and rolled cabbage. We thought to make today's lunch as light as possible, considering your barely non-existent appetite, Master," Tsunayoshi said.

Zangetsu noticed the change in the menu, but didn't say anything. Finishing his small meal, Zangetsu left the mansion in his black sports car.

Watching the car disappear, the butler made a beeline straight to the kitchen, with a waiting Zakuro and Takeshi.

"What in the world is this?" Tsunayoshi asked, bringing the purple food on the table.

"Wow! This looks so cool," Takeshi commented. "Did you make this, Sawada?"

"No, because this is the dish that Zakuro-san made," the butler replied.

"There's no way I made it," Zakuro argued. "Sure my cooking's not as good as yours, Tsuna, but there's no way that I would make food look as ruined as this."

"Someone has tempered with it," Tsunayoshi declared. "But who?"

"I know who," Reborn said, coming out of the cupboard above the sink. "Would you like to know?"

"Whoever this person is, do you think that they'll back off if we don't react much to it?" Zakuro asked the butler, ignoring Reborn.

"I shall wish," Tsunayoshi replied. "Not knowing what this person wants may hinder the master."

Gunshots echoed in the kitchen. "Don't just ignore me, you good-for-nothing workers."

"Hey, I resent that!" Zakuro argued, having dodged out of the bullet's way with Takeshi. "Just because I'm not as good as Tsuna doesn't mean I'm good-for-nothing."

"That was so cool, little kid," Takeshi laughed. "Those bullets seemed so real. Ahaha."

"That's because they're real, Takeshi," Tsunayoshi commented, having captured some bullets.

_**Garden**_

"What are you mumbling over there, Clumsy Guy?" Daisy asked.

"Quit calling me 'Clumsy Guy', you fucking fairy!" Hayato shouted. "I'm calculating how much water and fertilizers these plants need."

Daisy slammed his doll on the side of Hayato's head, nearly knocking him out.

"I'm not a fairy, and taking care of the flowers doesn't need that much calculation," Daisy calmly replied, looking at the whiteboard filled with formulas that Hayato wrote on.

"What the hell is that stuffed doll?!" Hayato yelled. "There's something inside there that did not feel soft or cotton at all!"

"It must be your imagination," Daisy replied.

A blusterous laughter captured the two's attention.

"This person is so stupid!" a kid's voice came from the tree nearest the two.

"Who are you calling stupid!?" Hayato demanded.

"How did you get into the mansion's grounds?" Daisy asked.

"You are now Lambo-san's subordinates!" the kid's voice continued, ignoring the two.

"I'm not your subordinate. I'm Tsuna's subordinate," Daisy immediately replied.

"So am I!" Hayato added.

"Tuna's my subordinate, too!" the kid went on.

"It's pronounced 'Tsuna,' not 'Tuna,'" Daisy explained, while Hayato fumed at how the kid mispronounced his dear boss's name.

"What about me?" Tsuna asked.

"There's a kid over there," Daisy said, pointing at the tree.

"I see. I have candy right here," Tsuna said, taking out a lollipop.

A black and white blob zoomed at Tsuna and took the lollipop. A closer look and the blob turned out to be a kid with an afro wearing cow printed pajamas.

"What? It's just a stupid cow," Hayato said.

"The person who calls someone stupid is the stupid one, Stupid!" the kid said.

"Who are you calling stupid!?" Hayato demanded, picking up the child by the scruff of its pajamas.

"The person who gets riled up by a child's words," Daisy said.

Those words made an avalanche on Hayato, making him collapse.

"Oh, look. An avalanche corpse," Tsuna commented.

"It's a play avalanche corpse," Daisy added.

"Jyuudaime, please don't tease me," Hayato begged. Turning to Daisy, "And you, keep your damn mouth shut!"

"Hayato, language around the child please," Tsunayoshi lightly scolded.

"Ha-ha, the stupid got scolded," Lambo laughed.

"However this child may be an idiot himself," Tsunayoshi added.

A boulder that said 'idiot' fell on Lambo's head. Hayato laughed, "Now who's the idiot?"

"Still you," Tsuna said.

Hayato fell into depression, mumbling, "Jyuudaimehime thinks of me as an idiot…"

That cheered up the child, bubbling with laughter.

"Let's leave them alone. They seem to be having fun together," Tsuna commented.

"It's nice to see him so happy," a woman added, standing next to the child butler.

"Who are you, Miss?" Tsuna asked the woman next to her.

Hayato looked up and saw the woman. "A-Ane-san…." And he fainted, clutching his stomach.

"You have a big sister, Clumsy boy?" Daisy asked, not caring about Hayato's well being at all.

"Stop…calling me that…" Hayato weakly protested.

"Hayato? What's wrong?" Tsuna asked.

"It's always like this, that child," the woman commented. "I'll take him to the infirmary."

The woman picked him up and dragged him into the mansion.

"Reborn, who is she?" Tsuna asked.

And, out of nowhere, Reborn appeared from the bushes, wearing a bush costume. "She is Bianchi, my girlfriend, and apparently, Gokudera's older sister."

Daisy and Tsuna took a moment to put the information into their brains. "That lady is your girlfriend?" Daisy repeated.

"She's my fourth one," Reborn added. "She's also a freelance hitman called Poison Scorpion. Her special skill is to feed people her poison cooking."

"Poison cooking?" Daisy repeated.

"So there was a foiled murder attempt on our Master Zangetsu's life," Tsuna said.

"Actually, she meant it for you, but she forgot about Zangetsu," Reborn explained.

"I can't believe that she can't tell the difference between an innocent and the target," Daisy said.

"By the way, why is she here?" Tsuna asked.

"Tsuna…" Reborn sighed, taking a sip of tea from a teacup that had suddenly appeared in his hands, "Humans are creatures that will one day die," he stated physiologically.

"Don't be so enlightened all of a sudden," Tsuna snapped. Turning to Daisy, "Anyways, we should get some antidotes for her poison, in case she manages to succeed."

"I got it," Daisy headed towards the greenhouse that grew medical type plants.

"Nee, nee," Tsuna looked down at the child that's tugging on her pants.

"Play with me, Tuna," Lambo said.

"I'm afraid I can't. I have other duties," Tsuna said. "By the way, how did you get here? And where have you been sleeping? The children's home visit was just last week."

"Lambo-san slept there," the child pointed at the tree he had fallen out of.

"What did you do for food?"

"Lambo-san has candy!" The child rummaged for something in his large afro and pulled out a sucker.

"That's not healthy."

_**Kitchen**_

Zakuro could only look at the beauty in front of him in confusion. "Who are you?"

"I am Poison Scorpion Bianchi, Reborn's lover," the woman introduced. "I need to borrow the kitchen to make some delicious food for my baby brother."

"And who is your brother?"

"Hayato. I also heard that he sometimes gets in the way; I'm sorry for that."

"And you're…that home tutor's lover?"

The woman dramatically cried out, "If only I could take Reborn away from that horrible life. We could've done another big job together. This place doesn't suit him at all; he belongs in a dark world where it's dangerous and thrilling and gets your blood racing in your veins. But no, unless the tenth dies due to an accident or something, Reborn won't be free again."

"Uh…you are aware that there's something wrong with your mind, right?" Zakuro asked.

"I would go home, but there's no love in your cooking!" Bianchi claimed, pointing a finger at the male cook.

"What?"

"Love is the source of power. Without love, your cooking has no flavor!" Bianchi exclaimed.

Zakuro could only stare blankly at the odd woman in front of him. "My cooking has flavor because the people who I cook for are people I care about. Don't assume that I don't have any love for Tsuna and my master, love monster."

"Well said, Zakuro," 'Tsunayoshi' said, coming into the kitchen.

"Hm. Tsunayoshi," Zakuro replied, knowing who the 'butler' is.

"Here, try this," Bianchi said, handing 'Tsunayoshi' a plate of poisoned onigiri.

'Tsunayoshi' took the plate, stared at it, and ate all the onigiri in one giant swallow. "Thank you so much, Bianchi-san. Now please, go check up on your brother. He has to stay healthy if he's going to school tomorrow."

Bianchi blinked twice in seeing her newest victim still alive. "O-of course. I have to look after my baby brother."

Bianchi walked out of the kitchen, but not without throwing a look over her shoulder at the 'butler'.

"Do you need an antidote?" Zakuro asked, feeling uncomfortable with the 'butler'.

"No need. My body's immune to most poisons and…" 'Tsunayoshi' threw up whatever was left of the poisoned onigiri into the shaft that led to the furnace.

"…I can just do that." 'Tsunayoshi' helped himself to some water and Advil.

Zakuro just stared at the 'butler', wondering where Zangetsu had found 'him'.

_**Sawada House**_

"Okaa-san! Tadaima (I'm home)!" Tsuna said, going into her home with a guest in her arms.

Nana, in the living room, knitting, stood up. "Oh, my. Welcome home, Tsu-chan. It's been a while since you've come home."

"Well, I have to show my face every once in a while and Master Zangetsu gave me the afternoon off," Tsuna replied.

"Who's this?" Nana inquired, noticing the sleeping cow-pajama child in her daughter's arms.

"Another guest, Lambo. He knows Reborn."

"Ara~. A friend of Reborn's. He'll be so happy to see Lambo-kun. Come to think of it, where is Reborn-kun?"

"Reborn saw a friend of his earlier in the day and left with her to catch up on old times," Tsuna went into the house to look for a futon to lay Lambo.

"Souka~. Then would you like some snacks?" Nana asked, following her daughter.

"How about we go shopping?" Tsuna asked, putting the sleeping kid in a futon. "When the kid wakes up, he'll be asking for food."

"Oh, that's a good idea. Finally, some mother and daughter bonding time," Nana said cheerfully.

That afternoon, Nana and Tsuna went shopping for food and some things for Reborn and Lambo to play with, granted that Lambo can easily amuse himself without Reborn there, and Nana is so happy to look after a child since her's grew up so fast.

What Nana didn't know was that Lambo was a noisy and nosy kid. So before they left the house, Tsuna tied Lambo up in the futon, rendering him unable to get out, should he wake up. And he did wake up. And he whined loudly, not being able to move.

"Gotta…stay…calm…" Lambo muttered before crying loudly.

Neighbors thought the Sawada house was being possessed by a crying ghost in the daylight, but then they remembered that the daughter was just as scary as any ghost because there was this dare of courage that the neighborhood kids had played and Tsuna played the ghost. All the kids got scared by Tsuna's devil act and she never got to play the ghost ever again.

When the Sawada ladies got home,

"Oh, Lambo-kun's awake. Poor thing~," Nana quickly went to the room Lambo was sleeping in and got him out of the futon mess Tsuna left him in.

"There there now. Mama's here," Nana cooed the little kid.

Tsuna looked at the two from the doorway and felt happy that her mother's distracted from being alone. With her devotion to Zangetsu and her father's devotion to the Family, Nana was often alone in the house.

"Okaa-san, take care of Lambo, okay? I'll make some dinner and be on my way to Zangetsu, all right?" Tsuna said.

"All right. It's so nice to taste Tsu-chan's cooking, too," Nana replied, having calmed down Lambo.

After quickly making dinner, Tsuna said goodbye to her mother and left for the mansion.

_**Zangetsu mansion**_

"Welcome home, Master Zangetsu," Tsunayoshi said.

"Did anything unusual happen while I was gone?" Zangetsu asked, heading towards the dining hall.

"There was a lost child and a food poisoning incident, but we have found a place for the lost child to stay and the food poisoning was not life threatening," Tsunayoshi reported off.

"Lost child?"

"Yes. Apparently, he has followed Reborn from Italy."

"Food poisoning? I thought Zakuro was incapable of that, despite his first cooking efforts."

"That was caused by someone else. Not to worry, she will be easily taken care of, though I can't guarantee the increase of food poisoning."

Zangetsu stared at his young butler. "How is our newest addition?"

"Mukuro is still recuperating. I suspect he never thought he'd lose, considering what he went through to gain his power."

Zangetsu remained silent and went to eat his dinner.

_**Next day**_

"Tsuna-kun!" called a voice behind Tsuna.

Tsuna turned around and saw Kyoko walking up to him.

"Good morning, Kyoko," Tsuna replied.

"Today's home economics class is to make riceballs," Kyoko said. "I'm excited."

"That's nice." _'Well, I'm enrolled as a boy, so I don't have to do Home Economics with the girls.'_

The two students heard a ringing sound behind them. They both turned around, wondering what it was. Tsuna recognized Bianchi, who came up right behind them on a mommy bike, her head down, leaving her eyes in shadow.

"Those who bother someone's love life should die covered up in poison," Bianchi said as she rode towards the two students.

"Here you go," she added, throwing two cans towards Tsuna.

Keeping the woman's killer reputation in mind, Tsuna waved her bag in the air and managed to redirect the cans to the ground, where they burst open from the force at which they hit the ground. The fumes that came out of the cans ended up killing two crows.

"Was that someone you know?" Kyoko asked as she looked at Tsuna curiously, wondering what was going on.

"Not exactly," Tsuna answered. "I wonder what they want."

_**School**_

At Namimori Middle school, it was currently nearing the end of third period, where the girls of Class 1A will give the boys, who have a free period, their homemade riceballs.

Today, the boys of this class, at least the boys who are thinking about the homemade riceballs, which did not include Tsuna, Takeshi, and Hayato, were having trouble focusing on their studies. They were all eagerly waiting for the time to pass by when the girls finished, as it was custom to offer anything made in Home economics to the boys.

Every few minutes, one of the boys would look up at the clock, and then look back down at his work. There was a tense atmosphere above the classroom, a tension only broken by the sound of the door opening.

The girls of Class 1A walked in and stood at the front of the room. "Today we'll give the riceballs we made in Home Economics class to you boys!" they announced cheerfully.

The boys all let out a resounding cheer as they jumped from their seats, rushing towards the girls as they forgot all pretenses about studying.

"What a weird event," Hayato commented from the back with Tsuna. Having come from Italy, there was no such event in schools.

"Tsuna, did you decide who to accept it from?" Takeshi asked Tsuna.

"Are you kidding? I'm pretty sure most of the girls want you and Hayato to accept their riceballs," Tsuna replied. "I doubt there'll be any left for me."

"WHAT!? How dare they-! Jyuudaime I'll tell the girls to give you their riceballs!" Hayato shouted, about to leave to do what he said.

"Don't even think about it," Tsuna said, grabbing the back of Hayato's shirt. "Those riceballs were made from the girls' hearts and feelings. Telling them to give it to someone whom they don't want to give them to will be betraying the girls' feelings. Just like if I were to tell you, Hayato, to swear your loyalty to Zangetsu, instead of me, that'd be betraying the feelings you have for me."

"Wow! That's deep," Takeshi commented.

"Jyuudaime!" Hayato was touched by Tsuna's words and was crying tears. "I understand. I'll just let the girls do what they want."

"How poetic. Who would've thought that you understand us girls' hearts?" Hana commented as she walked up to them with Kyoko, riceballs in their hands.

"It's because I was raised by a beloved mother," Tsuna said.

"Well, I'll have to thank your mom for not raising you to be a childish monkey."

"Tsuna-kun, would you like my riceballs?" Kyoko asked.

Kyoko's fanboys cried in anguish as they saw their dearest idol offer her homemade food to their average classmate.

"Take mine, too," Hana added. "Since you know some pretty words that impress girls."

"Why thank you, Kyoko, Hana," Tsuna said, but didn't take their riceballs. Instead, Tsuna asked, "Were riceballs suppose to look this colorful?"

"Huh?" Hana and Kyoko looked at their riceballs. Their riceballs were purple colored, with bugs coming out and a purple fume smoking.

"Th-these aren't the riceballs we made!" Hana shrieked. "Hey! Who took our riceballs!"

"We didn't! We were standing over here!" a boy shouted.

"I didn't take any riceballs!" another boy said.

"I have my riceballs here," a girl said.

"Kyoko, Hana, calm down. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said anything," Tsuna said.

"But-"

"I'll accept the feelings of these riceballs because any girl who gives them to anyone means she worked up all of her courage to give them, even if it's someone she's only acquainted with," Tsuna said, taking the most likely poisoned riceballs.

Bianchi, who was outside the classroom, had switched Hana's and Kyoko's riceballs to poison Tsuna. She heard what Tsuna had said.

"Feelings…" she muttered to herself.

"Thank you, Kyoko, Hana," Tsuna said, having eaten the poisoned riceballs. Tsuna felt a bit sick to her stomach. _'Good thing I drank some antidote that Daisy made, otherwise I'd be dead now.'_

"You're welcome, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko replied.

"You really do know pretty words. If I didn't know any better, you'd have been the perfect host," Hana teased.

"Really now? Maybe I should have that as my future profession," Tsuna replied.

_**Later**_

Tsuna retched up whatever was left in her stomach.

"Jyuudaime, are you sure you're all right?" Hayato asked.

"I got some painkillers from the nurse's office," Takeshi said.

"Thanks, you guys," Tsuna said, taking the painkillers and the bottle of water Hayato had in his hand.

"Damn it, I'll find whoever poisoned Sasagawa and Kurokawa's riceballs and kill them!" Hayato swore.

"I think it's better that you didn't," Tsuna said.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because it's your sister, Bianchi, right? Yesterday, you fainted at the sight of her."

"Aneki!?" Hayato shouted. Hayato bowed apologetically. "Jyuudaime, I'm sorry for my performance yesterday. It's just, you see, I used to live with her until I was eight. At our castle, we used to have a lot of luxurious parties. And when I was six years old, I was expected to perform on the piano in front of everyone."

"You used to live in a castle?" Takeshi asked.

"Who asked you!" Hayato snapped at Takeshi. Turning back to Tsuna, "that time where I was expected to perform, my sister baked cookies for me for the first time. That was the first of her poison cooking." He looked sick just thinking about it. "I didn't find out until afterwards, but my sister possesses the skill to make all of cooking poisonous."

"So she really is a poisonous scorpion," Tsuna commented.

"After I ate the cookies, I experienced severe nausea and dizziness. And the piano performance I gave was outrageous. But that was only the beginning. That bizarre performance was rated highly in the end. The audience said things like, 'how abstract' and 'wonderful.' My father was in a good mood and decided to make me perform even more. He told my sister to make her cookies again."

"Oh, my," Tsuna said.

"That sounds funny," Takeshi laughed.

"Shut up, you baseball idiot! You have no idea what it's like to live with my sister!" Hayato shouted. Continuing, "That terror traumatized my body and now, every time I look at my sister, I get a really bad stomachache."

"Don't you think that maybe the audience was afraid of your father that they said wonderful things about your horrible performances?" Tsuna asked.

Hayato was silent on that.

"Let's just pretend that I didn't say anything," Tsuna suggested.

"Anyways, I can't stand her! We have to get rid of her!"

"How are we suppose to do that?" Tsuna asked. "The only reason she's here is because of Reborn. As long as Reborn stays here, she'll never leave."

Takeshi looked between the two, feeling a bit left out.

"I have a plan to get my sister out of town, I just need your help," Hayato said. "Before my sister fell in love with Reborn, she had a man she was obsessed with. He died due to an accident, but my sister still can't get over him. So, all we need to do is go find a guy who looks like her ex. If she sees him, she'll chase him to the end of the world."

Tsuna sweat dropped. "I don't think that's possible, let alone finding a guy who looks like him…"

Hayato wasn't listening. "This is a photo of her ex-boyfriend," he said, taking a picture out of his pocket and showing it to Tsuna and Takeshi.

The two students saw a lazy looking black haired man, being embraced by Bianchi. His black hair was slightly wavy, and his one visible eye (the other was closed) was a light green color.

"How are we going to find a foreigner like him?" Tsuna asked. Then her phone ringed up, saying she just received a text message.

Tsuna opened it up; a picture of the man she just saw showed on her screen, though he's wearing a footman's suit.

'_Hey! The cow kid from yesterday found Rokudo Mukuro and got bullied by him. Then the kid pulled out some bazooka and blasted himself, and this lazy-assed teenager shows up, claiming to be the ten-years older version of the kid. I wanna kick him out, but he claims to be a footman of the mansion. What are we gonna do with the kid? Zakuro'_

"Never mind. Found him," Tsuna said, sending a text to get the ten years older version to school. "Now we just have to know where Bianchi is."

"Bianchi is headed this way," Reborn said, coming out of one of the tiles of the bathroom floor, "with a giant cake, so wash your neck, Tsuna." (washing one's neck means be prepared to die.)

"I don't want to," Tsuna replied. "Let's go to the front of the school. Someone is bringing a package to us."

_**School Gates**_

"Hey. I brought the kid, but he switched back to the annoying one," Zakuro said, holding up a tied up Lambo.

"Let Lambo-san go! Lambo-san won't forgive you!" Lambo cried.

"It's alright. The kid is here," Tsuna said. "I'll be taking him to Mom's after school, so thanks for bringing him here."

"It's okay. We really needed him to get outta the mansion," Zakuro replied. "The only good thing about him is that he got Mukuro out of his depression."

"Really? What did he do?" Tsuna asked.

"He put gum in his hair and called him a pineapple head," Zakuro explained.

Tsuna blinked. "Pineapple head?"

"His hair looks like the stem of a pineapple, no?"

"Now that you mention it, it does."

"Pineapple head! Bhwa! This stupid cow is good at names!" Hayato laughed.

"Pineapple head? That guy who tried to stab Tsuna?" Takeshi asked.

"Don't worry. That guy is tame now; he won't try anything for a while," Tsuna said to Takeshi. "Now to get rid of Bianchi…"

"Why are you crowding at the gates before school is over?" Hibari Kyouya suddenly appeared.

"To get rid of a scorpion," Tsuna answered.

"Scorpion?" Kyouya asked.

"It's poisonous, so we needed to have a cow to bait it," Tsuna explained, holding up the whining kid in cow pajamas.

"Get rid of the scorpion quickly," Kyouya said, leaving the crowd.

"Yes, sir," Tsuna said, saluting him. "By the way, Zakuro, where's this bazooka that would turn him into an adult?"

"In his afro," Zakuro replied. "I'm surprised that he could stuff something like that in his hair."

Tsuna rummaged around the whining kid's afro and brought out a purple bazooka that shouldn't physically be able to fit inside. Tsuna shot the bazooka at Lambo, a pink cloud covering him. Tsuna felt that she was holding something taller than she. When the cloud cleared away, the teen from the picture appeared.

"Goodness," the black haired boy said, letting out a sigh as the smoke cleared, finally allowing Tsuna and the group to get a good look at him, "I was brought back 10 years with the 10 year bazooka again."

The black-haired teenager was around Takeshi's height and was wearing the footman's uniform that Mukuro and his group were wearing. He also had a locket hanging around his neck and was holding a stack of plates. The tall teenager turned around and noticed Tsuna.

"Tsuna-nee, nice to see you, or should I call you Tsuna-nii?" the teenager Lambo asked.

"Eh? You know this person, Tsuna?" Takeshi asked. "And why is he calling you sis?"

"Tsuna-nii, cuz' I'm wearing the boys' uniform," Tsuna replied. "You look nice like this. Why isn't your 5 year old counterpart like this?"

"Hey! I was 5 years old then. Of course I'm supposed to look like that."

"But you're still a stupid cow," Hayato added in.

Teenager Lambo then noticed Hayato. "Oh, it's Stupidera."

"Who the hell is that!?" Hayato demanded.

"If those poisoned riceballs won't work, then taste this triple-layered cake!" Bianchi cried, heading towards the group with a purple poisoned triple-layered cake in her hands.

"Aneki!" Hayato fainted.

Bianchi stopped in her tracks, staring straight at teenager Lambo.

"Romeo…" Bianchi called out, as if she couldn't believe that her ex-boyfriend lookalike was standing there.

Teenage Lambo stared back at Bianchi, then looked scared.

"Tsuna-nii, I'm gonna head back to the mansion. See ya!" With that, teenage Lambo ran off as if hell hounds were on his heels, very careful with the plates in his hands.

"Romeo!" Bianchi shrieked, chasing after the footman. "No wonder things have gone wrong…It's all because of you!"

"What the…?" Zakuro questioned.

"It seems like right before Bianchi broke up with him, they had a horrible relationship. Every time she thinks of him, she gets upset," Reborn explained.

"Come to think of it, I heard that he died of food poisoning!" Hayato added, his stomachache clearing up.

"That is rather important to remember, Hayato," Tsuna scolded.

"I'm sorry, Jyuudaime!" Hayato said, bowing lowly.

After teenage Lambo switched back with child Lambo, Bianchi found herself in the yard of the Sawada household.

"Ara~ What are you doing with that large cake?" Nana asked, wondering who the pretty lady is.

"I'm looking for Romeo. I saw him running in here," Bianchi demanded.

"Romeo? I don't know any Romeo. But we do have a Reborn living with us."

"Reborn?! You have Reborn living with you?!"

"Because she is Maman," Reborn said, suddenly appearing. "Her food is delicious, Bianchi. Try some."

Reborn was holding out some donut holes Tsuna had made the previous night for Lambo.

"Alright. I'll try some. For you, Reborn," Bianchi took a donut hole and ate. It was so delicious, so sweet, so fluffy. "It's delicious. My love cannot be compared to this."

"I lied. This is Tsuna's cooking," Reborn said.

"Tsuna? Your new student? The tenth Vongola Boss-to-be?"

"Yup. If you killed Tsuna, you won't be able to taste such delicious food anymore," Reborn said, eating a donut.

"And Tsu-chan is so dedicated to whatever she does, even if it's something she doesn't like," Nana added, not caring that the pretty woman in front of her had wanted to kill her daughter.

"'She?'" Bianchi repeated.

"Ara? Just like Hayato-kun, you didn't know that Tsu-chan is a girl," Nana giggled.

"Bianchi, why don't you stay here and learn how Tsuna loves," Reborn suggested. "This way, you can learn something from her."

"Of course!" Bianchi replied.

_**The next day at Zangetsu mansion**_

"What are you doing here?" Tsunayoshi asked the Poison Scorpion.

"I have come here to learn more about the love you have for your master," Bianchi explained, making Hayato faint at the sight of her. "The love you have for your master surpassed my love for Reborn. So I'm creating Poison Cooking II, twice the killing rate."

"That doesn't really explain why you're here," Tsunayoshi replied.

* * *

><p>It's been so long since I've updated <span>Butler and Student<span>. So sorry for the long wait and thanks to those who have been patient with me. I'm heading off to college, so I can probably tell you that the next update will take just as long since I had some writer's block to get over, and some laziness, and some more stuff.

By the way, the 'Tsunayoshi' who ate Bianchi's poisoned onigiri is Tsuna's white copy, the one who works for Vendice. He sometimes pop in and out of the mansion whenever he feels like it. He gets very annoyed when Tsuna calls for him, though. And sorry, no Mukuro in this one. But he will be in the next (hint: Mosquito)


	10. Chapter 10: Butler and Cake

"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted the teenage butler who's cleaning the dining hall.

"Hello, Reborn," Tsunayoshi replied, not even greeting the baby.

"Hello," said a familiar voice.

"Hello, desu," went an unfamiliar voice.

Tsunayoshi turned around and saw Reborn between two girls, one of them Kyoko, and the other unknown. The two girls were holding cake boxes.

"Where are my manners? Hello there, Kyoko," Tsunayoshi said to Kyoko. Turning to the stranger, "And who might this be? I'm Tsunayoshi."

"I'm Miura Haru, desu~," the girl said cheerfully. "I'm Kyoko-chan's cake buddy."

"Cake buddy?"

"We've decided that every third Sunday of the month, we could eat as many cakes as we want," Kyoko explained. "We always saw each other at Nami-Chuu, the cake store, and became friends."

"How did you come across Reborn?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Babies are angels with pure hearts, aren't they?" Haru said.

"Huh?"

"I was buying an espresso in the coffee shop, but the lady won't sell it to me because they don't take credit," Reborn explained. "She was going to take me to the police station when Haru came in, asking if I could hug her, then Kyoko offered to pay for my coffee. I was on my way here, and Kyoko hadn't seen the mansion, and Haru just followed us to eat cake when I told them that the mille-feuille you made were delicious."

"Haru wants to try Tsunayoshi-san's mille-feuille, desu~," Haru announced.

"Is it okay if we watch you bake?" Kyoko asked.

"Alright. But you'll have to wait for me in the kitchen," Tsunayoshi said. "I have to finish cleaning this dining hall."

"We'll help you. I'm always doing chores at home," Kyoko offered.

"Haru too~!" Haru chimed.

"No, there is no need. It'd be horrible if the master found out that I had two lovely ladies help me," Tsunayoshi said. "Come, follow me to the kitchen. The chef and the…scorpion won't mind."

"Scorpion?" Kyoko repeated.

"Hahi! There's a scorpion in the kitchen?" Haru exclaimed.

"No, no, not a scorpion, a person. It's just that this person has a scorpion tattoo on her shoulder," Tsunayoshi explained, leading the girls to the kitchen. Luckily, they haven't gotten to the doorway yet because a man came flying out, collapsing on the broken door.

"What on earth?" Tsunayoshi exclaimed, while Haru screamed behind him. Kyoko just wondered why the butler stopped.

"It's been a while since I have done some justice to the world," Bianchi said, appearing in the doorway, looking very pleased with herself.

Zakuro looked out and saw the group. "Hey, Reborn! This guy's one of yours?"

"Excuse me?" Tsunayoshi said, drawing some attention to him.

"Oh, Tsuna. Some pervert came in here and started harassing this miss," Zakuro explained. "It seems like he got past Daisy."

"He got past Daisy?" Tsunayoshi repeated.

"A throw that strong, she's completely healthy," said the man, peeling off a poison repellent cloth off his face, which made him not dead. "Girls should be like that."

And then he did the unthinkable, he went and kissed Bianchi on the cheek.

"Buzz off!" Bianchi cried, kicking the man down.

"Who is he, Reborn?" Tsunayoshi asked. The man had black hair, a bit of a goatee, wore a white suit with a black shirt and purple tie, and gave off the feeling that he was the lazy type. He had a similar hairstyle to Hayato's.

"Hahi! A pervert!" Haru exclaimed as he chased after Bianchi.

"Is he someone you know, Tsuna-kun?" Kyoko asked.

"He's doctor Shamal, a friend of mine, though I haven't seen him for a while," Reborn explained.

"So he's from Italy," Tsunayoshi said.

"Yup."

The perverted doctor noticed the group to his right. "Hello there, little cuties. How about we go for a nice cup of coffee?"

"I'm afraid we must decline," Tsunayoshi answered. "The girls are quite in trauma for seeing a man such as yourself crash through the door. Please excuse us."

Tsunayoshi quickly guided the girls into the kitchen, and slammed a steel door in his face.

"When did that door get there?" Shamal wondered. "Hey! Let me in!"

The group inside heard Shamal pounding on the door.

"No matter what, do not let the pervert in," Tsunayoshi ordered Zakuro. "And if he does, find Kikyo."

"Got it," Zakuro replied.

"That pervert's not going to come in right?" Haru asked.

"Not to worry, I have many more poison cooking II for him to try," Bianchi said, holding two large plates of poisoned food in her hands, staring down the door.

"I'm going to go check up on Daisy," Tsunayoshi said, going out the back door.

"Sure," Zakuro said, boiling some tea for the girls. "Girls, you have cakes, right? Why don't we start eating them?"

_**Tsunayoshi**_

"Daisy?" Tsunayoshi called out. The young butler saw the gardener sprawled out on the ground, face down.

"Daisy!" Tsunayoshi rushed to turn him over. "What happened?"

But Daisy couldn't reply. Tsuna rushed him to the infirmary.

Daisy got a bit better after Tsuna gave him some allergy pills.

"Why would you need allergy pills?" Tsuna asked. "I mean, I understand the spring fever, but you have antibiotics in your system to counter that."

"Some guy in a casual suit came onto the grounds," Daisy explained. "I tried to kick him out, but he said that he gave me some fatal disease that made me deadly allergic to pollen. And I had come from the second greenhouse."

"I see, so you've met Shamal."

"Who's Shamal?"

"Some doctor from Italy. Apparently, he's a friend of Reborn's and a womanizer."

"A womanizer?"

"Help!" came from the outside. A blue blob came into the room and glomped Tsuna.

Tsuna found Bluebell in her arms.

"What happened?"

"Some pervert attacked me!" Bluebell cried.

"Cutie, wait up!" Shamal cried as he came running into the room.

Tsuna stood up, and kicked her chair, tripping Shamal and falling flat on his face.

"Did you attack Daisy, our gardener, with a fatal disease?" Tsuna asked, Bluebell hiding behind her.

"Huh? Who?" Shamal got up and saw Daisy. "Yeah. It was an instinct move. Sorry about that. Let me get the antidote."

Shamal reached into his pocket and got out a pill case. "I'm naturally able to take bacteria and viruses in easily. Right now, I have 666 different fatal illnesses," he said.

"How are you alive?" Bluebell asked.

"The reason that I'm fine is, by having diseases with two opposite symptoms, they cancel each other out," Shamal explained. "For example, having an illness that raises your temperature cancels one that lowers it."

"You're kidding," Kikyo said with a puzzling frown, coming into the room with Reborn.

"Oh, hello, Kikyo," Tsuna greeted.

"Hello, Tsuna," Kikyo replied.

Shamal selected one of the pills, and flicked it in the air. A mosquito with a trident sting came out of.

"Mosquito?" Tsuna asked.

"Shamal is usually a doctor, but he is also a hit man called 'Trident Shamal,'" Reborn explained. "He uses 666 trident mosquitoes that each have a fatal illness-causing bacterium to make his enemies become ill."

"That's scary…" Bluebell said.

The trident mosquito flew over to Daisy and sucked its disease in, canceling the illness.

"I feel much better now," Daisy sighed.

"Now let's have a kiss, cutie!" Shamal cried, going for the Bluebell who's still hiding behind Tsuna.

Tsuna kicked him in the face with a roundabout kick, making him kiss Mukuro, who'd just come into the infirmary.

"Blah! I don't kiss men!" Shamal cried, clutching his throat as if his lips had just touched poison.

"Yuck," Mukuro said, wiping his mouth.

"I'm sorry. Let me wash that out," Tsuna said, going over to Mukuro. Tsuna took Mukuro's face and brought their lips together. When Tsuna slipped in the tongue, Mukuro tried to fight for dominance, but he couldn't fight against Tsuna's technique.

"Ugh! I did not need to see that!" Shamal whined. "I prefer two girls doing the deed!"

Tsuna finished the kiss. "All better now?"

"Do you always give out kisses this easily, Vongola Princess?" Mukuro asked, with a hint of blush on his face.

"Wait. Vongola Princess?" Shamal asked.

"Only to those I like intimately," Tsuna answered Mukuro. "Did you need something?"

"I was wondering if why everyone was in the infirmary," Mukuro replied. "And to think I would find Trident Shamal here…"

"Is this womanizer that famous?" Tsuna asked.

"Yes. To the point where the Vongola's Varia tried recruiting him," Mukuro explained.

"Varia….?" the staff repeated.

"Varia is a special assassination group that the Vongola raises," Tsuna explained. "They are the best of the best, which comes along with a 100% success rate of missions. In other words, if there is a mission that is any lower than 90% success, then they don't take it."

"Somehow, you put the Varia in a bad light…" Mukuro commented.

"By the way, Tsuna, how come you know this?" Kikyo asked.

"Because-"

"Because I taught her," Reborn claimed the credit, which resulted in Tsuna throwing a spare pillow from the cabinets at him.

"Because I was taught by Master Zangetsu what sort of mafia Family rules the world. You know what sort of work Master Zangetsu does before he retired."

"Oh yeah, sorta," Bluebell replied.

"By the way, Kikyo, did you need something?" Tsuna asked the house steward.

"The females guests were in the kitchen, wondering when you will be done with your chores for the day," Kikyo answered. "Since they wanted to see you baking that mille-feuille, Reborn followed me to find you."

"Oh, tell them that I'll be done soon," Tsunayoshi said. "And make sure that the pervert doesn't follow you."

"Hey! There is no need to talk about me as if I'm not here," Shamal protested.

"It's because this pervert is here that we have to speak as though he is not here, correct, everyone?" Tsunayoshi asked the staff.

"Yup!" was everyone's reply.

"Oh, Mukuro, why don't you go with Kikyo to the kitchen?" Tsuna suggested. "The girls have bought cake from the local town's bakery, and their cakes are quite recommendable."

"I do not want to," Mukuro declined.

"EH?! Is the little devil guy shy?!" Bluebell said in a very shocked voice.

"Little devil?" Mukuro and Shamal repeated.

"It seems like 'Little Devil' has become Rokudo Mukuro's nickname," Reborn explained, "just like how 'Clumsy Boy' is Gokudera's."

"Rokudo Mukuro? Eh? You're that Rokudo Mukuro, the one who's supposed to be locked up right now?" Shamal exclaimed, looking at Mukuro in shock.

"He is locked up," Daisy said. "It's just that he's a prisoner on these grounds. As long as he can't escape, he's considered as a prisoner."

"Se-seriously? Oh yeah, is 'Gokudera' 'Hayato'?" Shamal asked.

"Yeah. You know 'Clumsy Boy'?" Daisy asked.

"Yup. I used to visit his house all the time," Shamal replied. "Now let's go the kitchen. Huh? Where'd the butlers, Reborn, Rokudo Mukuro, and that blue-haired cutie go?"

"I was distracting you so that Kikyo could take Mukuro to the kitchen without the bug annoying the girls," Daisy said.

"I'm not a bug!" Shamal denied.

"Says the one who has mosquitoes as pets."

_**kitchen**_

"Oh? So Tsuna-kun will be here soon?" Kyoko asked.

"Yes. We're sorry that you had to wait in the kitchen for so long," Kikyo said. "Come. Allow us to take you to the sitting room, where it's more comfortable."

"Oh, no. I want to learn how Tsuna-kun makes his mille-feuille, so that I can make for my big brother," Kyoko humbly declined.

"Haru wants to make it for her parents, desu~!" Haru exclaimed.

"In that case…" Kikyo noted how Mukuro, eating his strawberry cake unpleasantly, sat on the other end of the girls at the counter, how tea was already made, and how the girls had politely saved a slice cake for Tsuna, Bluebell, and himself (Zakuro had told them how many people were in the mansion. The girls then cut the already sliced cakes, so that there would be enough for everyone), "let's wait for Tsuna a little while longer."

"Okay~!"

_**Tsunayoshi**_

"Dining Hall, check!" the Dining hall, including the tableware, was spick and span clean.

"Drawing room, check!" the drawing room was devoid of dust.

"Library, check!" Not one book was out of place.

"Sitting room, check!" The tables were wiped, the chairs were dusted, the carpet was clean, the curtains aired.

"Finally, I have finished my chores!" Tsunayoshi said happily to himself. "Goodness, fifteen minutes to finish cleaning every room. I must be getting soft…"

"I apologize for making you wa-!"

"AAAAAA!" Zakuro shouted as Kikyo looked shocked.

"What on earth…?" Tsunayoshi did not need any explanation as he saw the two girls collapse on the ground, poisoned liquid draining from their mouths.

"That's odd. My poisoned green tea should've been right there," Bianchi said, confused as to why her poisoned green tea reserved for Shamal was on the counter near the girls.

"Never mind that! We only have seconds to get the poison out of the girls' systems!" Zakuro shouted.

"Shamal should still be on mansion grounds! We have to go get him!" Kikyo said.

"It's too late! I already drove him out!" Bluebell cried.

"What do we do!?" Daisy exclaimed.

"Got no choice," Reborn said, appearing on Tsunayoshi's head.

"Why are you on my head again?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"Because your head's comfy," was Reborn's simple response. Back to the accidentally poisoned girls, Reborn pulled out two guns, and shot a bullet into each girls' forehead.

"What did you do?" Tsunayoshi asked as Daisy, Zakuro, and Bluebell freaked out and Kikyo gaped. Mukuro and Bianchi weren't fazed at all.

"I shot them with a Dying Will Bullet," Reborn explained. "It's also the first double-shot, ever."

"A Dying Will Bullet?"

"Yup. A Dying Will Bullet is the Vongola's creation. The bullet lets the one who's shot with it fulfill any wish they have when dying, there by being reborn. No regret though, they die," Reborn explained. "And because it's a double-shot, depending on the resonance of the double-shot, the life force from the rebirth may become stronger. But if their regrets are not synchronized, it wouldn't work."

"So if Kyoko and Haru aren't regretting the same thing, then they really are dead," Tsuna said in a matter of fact way.

"It's a method to save them both equally," Reborn added.

"You two are not really helping," Zakuro commented, sweatdropping at the way they casually looked away from the catastrophe of the situation.

The group looked at the two dying girls on the floor. Then suddenly, their stomachs moved. The two girls sprung up, as if coming out of a cocoon and rushing to stand up minutes after birth, in their underwear.

"That's not something I can ever get out of my head…" Bluebell commented.

"All men, turn around!" Tsunayoshi ordered, including himself.

Kikyo turned Mukuro in his chair while the others covered their eyes.

"Good thing we have some sheets to cover them with," Bluebell said, covering the half-naked girls, who are heading towards Tsunayoshi.

"What's with that flame on their foreheads?" Tsuna asked. There was a flame on their foreheads, the exact spot where Reborn shot them.

"It's the proof of the Dying Will Bullet," Reborn explained, somehow blindfolded by Tsuna.

"And why exactly are they in their underwear?" Bluebell asked.

"Because when you're born, you generally have no clothes, right? So the Vongola Primo made it so that the Dying Will Bullet allows you to keep your underwear on," Reborn explained.

"I'm horrified that I'm related to such a pervert, but I'm glad that he had made it so that those shot are at least half-nude," Tsuna said.

"Tsuna-kun, please make that mille-feuille," Kyoko asked, no, demanded.

"What?" Tsuna turned around.

"Make that mille-feuille right now, desu~!" Haru added, bringing down her fist on the counter, causing it crumble. Mukuro let his cake go down in the rumble.

"Eh?"

"It seems like their dying wish was that you make them that apricot and green tea mille-feuille," Reborn said.

"Is there any way to turn off the Dying Will thing?" Tsuna asked, backing up slowly while the girls keep demanding her to make the crepe.

"No other choice." Reborn took off his blindfold, brought out a briefcase, and took out a very large mullet.

"What's that?" Bluebell asked, as Tsuna was cornered by the two girls who destroyed everything in their path.

"The Reverse 1 Ton. It can disable the Dying Will Bullet. I'm the only one who can wield it, though," Reborn bragged before he leapt up and hit the girls' heads. Bullets came out from the flames as the girls collapsed. "Now they'll think of their Dying Will time as a dream."

"If you had this method, you should've used it from the beginning," Zakuro said.

"I knew you could do it, Reborn," Bianchi cooed.

"Hey, this is all your fault," Zakuro reminded her. "And they destroyed the kitchen!"

"Is it normal to have superhuman strength when one gets shot with the Dying Will bullet?" Kikyo asked as Tsuna covered the girls properly.

"Dying Will means your body is in a state wherein all safety switches are off. So in exchange for risking your life by breaking your limits, you can harness amazing strengths."

"So it's potential strength," Kikyo said.

"Then that means all this destruction is what the girls could've done if they had trained a lot…" Daisy said, looking at the destroyed kitchen.

_**Later**_

"Wah~! This apricot and green tea mille-feuille tastes so good~!" Haru exclaimed, smiling blissfully. Everyone was in the sitting room, eating cake.

"It's too bad that we didn't get to see how Tsuna-kun makes them, though. We fell asleep," Kyoko sighed, eating a strawberry with whipped cream mille-feuille.

"But isn't this too much mille-feuille? We've already eaten two plates and there's still a lot..." Kyoko looked at the cake-covered table. The table was covered with different types of mille-feuille that Tsunayoshi made. There was strawberry with whipped cream, tropical fruits, berries, etc.

"You can never have enough mille-feuille," Zakuro said, eating a berry mille-feuille.

'_Actually it's because we were afraid that you girls might act up and start destroying everything if there wasn't enough mille-feuille…'_ thought the staff.

"Hahi! 'Little Devil', that's an unusual mille-feuille, desu," Haru said, noticing the different colored mille-feuille on Mukuro's plate.

Mukuro was irked that the girls started calling him by the nickname the staff picked for him. "It's chocolate mille-feuille," he replied.

"Ehh? Chocolate mille-feuille? I want to try that," Kyoko said.

"Me too! Desu~!" Haru added.

"There's two right here," Kikyo said, handing the two chocolate mille-feuille to the girls.

"Huh? Where's Tsuna-kun?" Kyoko asked.

"He went to give the master his afternoon tea," Daisy replied, eating a tropical fruit mille-feuille.

"The master came back already?" Kyoko said.

"Hahi! Was he angry that we came without greeting him?" Haru asked, alarmed.

"Not at all. He was happy that such lovely girls came to visit his mansion, even if the purpose was not to visit him," Kikyo replied. "He hopes that you will continue to visit in the near future."

"That's good. Then, the next time we come, can we help out?" Kyoko asked.

"Haru wants to try on the maid outfit, desu~!" Haru exclaimed.

"That would be wonderful, right, 'Little Devil'?" Kikyo said.

Mukuro's eyebrow twitched at the nickname. "Is there any more chocolate mille-feuille?" he asked.

"No, but Tsunayoshi made all these chocolate cakes for you," Kikyo said, rolling in a wheeler cart covered with different chocolate cakes.

"Th-this is too much..." Mukuro said, staring dumbfounded at the cakes, "…even for me…"

"Huh? Don't worry. We can also eat these. It'll be like our lunch and dinner," Zakuro said. "If you don't want sweets, I can always make something."

"Hahi! It's almost five!" Haru exclaimed, looking at the grandfather clock.

"I have to go home!" Kyoko said.

"Then let's put the cakes in some boxes, so you can take them home and enjoy them with your family," Kikyo said, already putting the mille-feuille away.

"Thank you so much," Kyoko and Haru said in unison after Zakuro and Bluebell gave them large cake boxes to take home.

At home, the girls realized that they ate too much cake and gained weight. So next month's cake appreciation day was canceled.

_**Mukuro and Tsuna**_

"Why am I wearing this?" Mukuro asked, wearing a Kokuyo gakuen (school uniform of the military style).

"Because you like such outfits, right? When you were 'Dokuro', I had noticed that you were staring at a certain costume of Kikyo's. So I got you a gakuen from the nearest school, Kokuyo Middle. I'm only sorry that it did not arrive sooner." Tsunayoshi was wondering why Mukuro was asking such an odd question, let alone going up to him and start a conversation.

"And why did you make so much chocolate cakes for me?"

"Oh, because I thought that you might like chocolate the most."

"How did you know?"

"Back when the children came to visit, you only picked the chocolate treats. That's when I knew that you liked chocolate."

Mukuro looked away, feeling a bit vunlerable that he didn't notice someone observing him.

"I hope that this gakuen is to your liking. If not, I wish you could try on the gakuen that I'm making for you."

"You-you're making me one?" Mukuro felt embarrassed that someone he had tried to kill is spoiling him.

"Do not forget. You may be a prisoner, but you are also our guest. The staff of the Zangetsu household always makes sure that our guests are as comfortable as they are happy. Because of the recent situation, you were quite unhappy. But I hope that you will be able to get over that situation and start looking towards the future."

As Tsunayoshi said this, Tsuna patted Mukuro's head, just like a mother would do her son.

'_I…have never felt warmth like this before…'_ was only Mukuro's thought as Tsuna patted his head. _'But…I'm afraid…'_

Mukuro brushed Tsuna's hand away. "Kufufufu. Vongola Princess, you shouldn't leave your guard down so easily. Because who knows, I just might take advantage of you." Mukuro grabbed Tsunayoshi's tie as he said this.

"So that means you like Tsuna intimately?" Daisy asked, suddenly appearing beside the two.

Mukuro jumped as he and the butler turned to look at the gardener.

"Maybe he's just confused whether he's gay or straight," Zakuro said, resting his arm on the shorter Mukuro.

"No, I think he's a closet masochist," Bluebell said, appearing from behind Tsuna's back.

"I believe he's a pervert more than a masochist, Bluebell," Kikyo said, standing next to Tsunayoshi. "After all, those who like to wear such costumes for pure fun are usually kinky."

"No, he's a sadist," Reborn added, standing on Tsuna's head.

"He's just shy," Master Zangetsu said, walking past the group to go to his bedroom.

"Excuse me," Tsunayoshi said, leaving Reborn in Kikyo's hands as he chased after the master, leaving Mukuro to fend for himself as he was being teased by the staff and Reborn.

**_Zangtetsu's bedroom_**

"How do you like Little Devil now?" Tsunayoshi asked the master, giving the master his tea.

"You always manage to change my mind," Zangetsu commented curtly.

"Hmm? What's with that answer? Are you jealous that I've kissed Little Devil?"

"Why would I be jealous of a brat?"

Tsuna's eyes twinkled at Zangetsu's behavior and smiled amusingly.

"Good night, Old Man Zangetsu," Tsuna teased, making Zangetsu roll over to his side, not facing Tsuna.

* * *

><p>I was on a roll, so I've decided to update this first. I'll try and get <span>Halibel Potter<span> out before I start working on Tsunayoshi. Sorry for taking so long on them.

Anyways, Mukuro without the Kokuyo uniform is not Mukuro, so Tsunayoshi noticed him (when he was 'Dokuro')staring at one of Kikyo's old customes (a gakuen) from when Tsunayoshi forced the staff to do plays and dance shows and such. Then the Kokuyo uniform came in.


	11. Chapter 11: Butler and Ranking Bomb

"I'm off now," Tsuna said, leaving the mansion grounds.

"Be careful on your way," Daisy said.

"I will!" Tsuna rode down the hillside quickly, and made it to school with minutes to spare as always.

"Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko called out.

"Good morning, Kyoko," Tsuna replied.

"Good morning, Jyuudaime!" Hayato called out.

"Yo, morning, Tsuna," Takeshi said.

"Good morning," Hana said.

"Tsuna-kun, I was wondering if I could come over to the mansion today. My brother said he wanted to come along after he heard that it was on the hill," Kyoko asked. "Haru-chan, too."

"Jyuudaime! I'm going there today too!" Hayato said.

"Of course. I'm sure Zangetsu would be happy that young people like us would visit the mansion," Tsuna replied.

"I'm coming along, too. I want to see if your staff really is as competent as you say," Hana said.

"Awesome. So we're all going. Are we going to wear the footman uniforms again?" Takeshi wondered.

"Of course we are, baseball nut! When we go there, it's to help Jyuudaime with the chores!" Hayato scolded.

"Oh, but aren't we on cleaning duty today? Will your brother be alright waiting for us?" Tsuna asked.

"It's alright. Brother has boxing club, so when we finish, Brother will be ready to come with us," Kyoko explained.

"All right, kids! Time to get into your seats!" the teacher shouted over the clamor of the class.

_**After School**_

"Oh, it's you," Tsuna heard Kyoko say during cleaning duty. Tsuna looked over to where Kyoko is and saw that she was talking to a glaring child wearing Chinese clothing.

"You're the one from the other day when I dropped my wallet," Kyoko said. "Thank you so much for helping me pick up my money."

"Do you know this child, Kyoko?" Tsuna asked as Hana hid behind her.

"Yes. She's so cute, isn't she?" Kyoko said.

"Yes. This child is rather cute," Tsuna agreed, though she wondered why the kid kept glaring at everyone.

The girl looked at Tsuna. She glared at her before taking out a picture. The girl pointed at Tsuna, then pointed at the roof, and ran off.

"So you know her, Tsuna-kun?" Kyoko asked.

"You knew that baby from your dad, you're a specialist when it comes to weird kids," Hana commented.

"I wouldn't say I'm a specialist, but today is the first time I've ever met her. I'll go see what she wants," Tsuna said.

"Okay. We'll finish up," Kyoko said.

Unbeknowst to the group, outside near the gates, was a little boy, barely nine. The fallen leaves that surrounded him were floating in midair. His eyes seemed to have some sort of galaxy reflected in them.

Tsuna went up to the roof and saw that the little girl had changed clothes and was in a martial arts pose, eating a steam bun.

Then the girl spoke in Chinese, "今天是你的最後一天。我不會失敗把你殺掉." (Today is your last day. I will not fail to kill you.)

Tsuna blinked. She ran through her mind of when she had pissed off any Chinese yakuza or something of the sort. Finding none as most were terrified by Zangetsu's reputation or already dead, however, she did remember that there was a child assassin named I-pin, known as the Human Bomb.

"She is I-pin, the Human Bomb," Reborn said, appearing next to her.

"I know that, but why would she want to kill me?" Tsuna asked. "I'm sure the Vongola wouldn't want me dead and there are a lot of enemies who are subdued by Vongola's allies."

"Eh? You know about that?"

"Otherwise Iemitsu, I mean, Dad, wouldn't be so busy all the time."

"我的名字是 I-pin. 今天是你的結束 (My name is I-pin. Today is your end)," the girl said. I-pin made another pose and attacked Tsuna right in the face with something, and she couldn't breath.

Reborn stood back and watched how the disciple of the Moon Fang would handle this.

As Tsuna couldn't breath, she made some weird poses that did her body harm.

"So that is the famed Gyoza-ken," Tsuna said, standing right behind I-pin, surprising the girl.

I-pin and Reborn turned to look at the Tsuna who was hit by Gyoza-ken, which turned out to be her vest that was doing all the moving.

Tsuna disabled I-pin from using Gyoza-ken, making her drop her bun. When I-pin let go of the bun, Tsuna tied her up with her belt.

"Why does everything smell like garlic?" Tsuna wondered. She picked up the dropped gyoza. Garlic, she smelled.

"That's the secret to the technique," Reborn explained. "I-pin condenses the smell from the dumpling bun using Kenpou and send it to the nose of the opponent, which directly numbs their brain. Once the brain is numb, the muscles move by themselves, making it look like the person is being manipulated by psychic powers."

"Ahh, so that explains it. But that still doesn't explain why I'm targeted," Tsuna said, turning to the girl.

I-pin refused to say anything. Tsuna decided to use a different tactic. "I-pin, 你能告訴我你為什麼要殺我嗎？"

With Chinese as her home language, I-pin explained that she was told by her master to kill the one in the photo. Tsuna took out the photo and saw a complete different person. Tsuna looked at the girl and at the photo again. Tsuna surveyed the roof and saw the pack that was on I-pin's back.

She rummaged around it and found a pair of glasses. Tsuna put the glasses on I-pin, but noticed that they were slipping because she doesn't have any ears. She held the glasses in place as she put the photo in front of I-pin.

"好. 看一看. 你可以看到這個人跟我是不一樣的人了嗎? (Okay. Take a look. Can you see that this person and I are not the same person?" Tsuna asked.

I-pin looked at the person in the photo and the teenage girl next to her. I-pin felt very embarrassed; she nearly killed someone who was not her target, let alone someone who was innocent.

I-pin puffs up a bit before sweating a lot. Soon, 9 pinzu markings appeared on I-pin's forehead.

"What's that, Reborn?" Tsuna asked.

"The countdown for the 'pinzu-times super explosion,'" he answered.

"What?"

"I-pin's shyness is at an extreme level," Reborn explained. "When the shyness reaches the peak, the nine-pin appears on I-pin's forehead."

"She's shy? Odd trait for an assassin," Tsuna commented as the pinzu counted down to seven.

"The number of Pinzu on the head decreases with time, and once it gets to one pin, the dumpling gas is released from all the body pores at once, causing a massive explosion. The level of destruction can form up to a small crater."

"So that's how the name 'Human Bomb' came to be."

I-pin got rid of the belt that's tied around her and clung to Tsuna's leg. "What's wrong?"

"I-pin is drawn to people due to overwhelming shyness during the countdown."

"Eh? So I'm going to go boom with her?"

"Yup."

The door to the roof opened. "Jyuudaime, is something the matter? You're taking a while. Do you need help?"

"Not at all. Hayato, tell the girls I'll be right down," Tsuna said, managing to get I-pin off her leg.

"Yo, Tsuna. So you were here all this time," Takeshi said, coming onto the roof behind Hayato.

Then, Tsuna got an idea.

"Takeshi, throw it as far as you can!" Tsuna commanded as she threw I-pin at the baseball star.

"Right," Takeshi said, catching I-pin, getting into his baseball spirit. I-pin was thrown into the air high above the school roof. As the last pin counted off, I-pin blasted, making everyone believe that there was some sort of firework show at the school.

Tsuna sighed, glad that nobody was hurt.

Little did she know that someone was watching her and the group. The boy from before was now in front of the school on the school grounds. Nobody was around, so he could freely do as he liked.

"Yamamoto Takeshi's baseball throwing ability: rank no. 4. Sawada Tsunayoshi's inability to fear: rank no. 9," the boy said. The boy stopped his floating galaxy trance and the things that were floating around him fell down in gravity.

The boy pulled out a book that's larger than his size out of his green coat. Who knows how he was able to fit the large book in his coat. The boy laid the book on the ground and took out a pencil and started writing in it.

"Yamamoto Takeshi is ranked no. 1 in all of Namimori middle school to have the best baseball abilities. Sawada Tsunayoshi is ranked no. 1 in 'most likely to become an assassin in ten years', but she is also ranked no.1 in 'Not going to become an assassin,'" the boy said.

"There he is!" a loud voice interrupted his thoughts.

The boy looked up to see five scary-looking men in suits walking towards him. The boy closed the book, hugged it to his chest, and ran away from the scary men.

"Stop! You'd better stop!" exclaimed the person who seemed to be the leader as he and his group chased after the boy into the school.

The boy didn't get far until he bumped into Kyoko.

"Oh, hello. Are you okay?" Kyoko asked.

"Geez. Is today Children's Day or something?" Hana said, getting hives on her arms from getting close to the kid.

"Umm…" the boy couldn't speak.

"Hand him over to us," the leader of the scary men said, surrounding the girls.

"What?" Hana blinked.

"What's going on?" a hard voice demanded. The entire group and saw Tsuna, Hayato, and Takeshi, the former two glaring at the group. "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah. We just want the kid, that's all," the leader said.

Tsuna saw the child hiding in Kyoko's arms. "But it seems like the child doesn't want to go with you."

"Doesn't matter. The kid's coming with us," the leader said.

Tsuna took a deep breath and shouted, "SASAGAWA RYOHEI! HIBARI KYOUYA! THERE ARE STRANGE MEN HARASSING KYOKO AND HANA!"

The boys covered their ears and seconds later, the leader was knocked out by a punch.

"RAWR! WHO'S THE ONE HARASSING MY LITTLE SISTER!" a second year with silver hair, who had punched the leader out cold, shouted on the top of his lungs. He came in through the window.

"How dare you do that to Paolo!" cried an underly. Then he was knocked unconscious by a tonfa.

"People who are crowding will be bitten to death," Hibari Kyouya said, who had came down from the floor above.

Seconds later, all the scary men were knocked out.

"Kyoko, are you all right!" the second year asked.

"Yes, I'm okay, Brother. Are you okay?" Kyoko asked.

"I'm okay, Kyoko!" the silver haired grinned.

"People who are crowding should go home," Kyouya said.

"Understood, Kyouya-sempai," Tsuna said. Then she grabbed Kyouya's hand and ran off with him. "Whoever gets to the mansion is a rotten egg!"

"Jyuudaime! Wait up!" Hayato ran after.

"I'm not gonna lose!" Takeshi shouted.

"SUCH COMPETITIVE SPIRITS! I'LL RACE TOO!" Kyoko's brother said, running after the boys.

"Hey! Wait up!" Hana called, taking Kyoko with her. Kyoko couldn't leave behind the boy, so she grabbed the boy's hand.

_**Mansion**_

"When will Vongola Princess be coming home?" Mukuro asked.

Zakuro stared at Mukuro. Then a grin stretched across his face. "Finally, you've started to care about Tsuna. Tsuna'll be here soon. Tsuna called at lunch, saying that people are gonna come, so be prepared for a large group of people, Little Devil."

"Stop calling me that," Mukuro demanded, irked by the nickname.

"The nickname suits you. Besides, Tsuna picked it for you," Zakuro said. "Said it suits the cute face you have when you fall asleep."

Mukuro took some time to understand the words that came out of Zakuro's mouth. When he did, his face turned as red as a tomato.

"Ho…You're embarrassed that you got called cute?" Zakuro teased, a sly grin covered his face instead.

They heard a rumbling sound as the mansion shook from the vibrations.

"Is Bluebell doing the laundry wrong?" Zakuro said. When Bluebell had first started out, she would sometimes put in too much laundry inside the machines, which would cause the machine to shake due to the heavy load, thus making the mansion vibrate. After Tsuna and her mother explained it, Bluebell stopped doing that. Then Daisy came in, leaving the door open. "Tsuna called for a race, so it's a stampede."

"Oh, okay," Zakuro said, catching some fallen knives.

"Stampede?" Mukuro repeated.

Then Tsuna, holding a boy's hand, came into the kitchen. "I win!"

"Take your hands off me, herbivore," the boy said, taking his hand back. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You said those crowding must go home, so I've brought you home," Tsuna said.

"I don't live here."

"You can if you want. Master Zangetsu won't mind."

"I'm not going to live here."

"That's the part of having a home, a place to come back to no matter how long you're not around," Zakuro said. "Who are you?"

"This is Hibari Kyouya. I mentioned him before," Tsuna said, leaving the room.

"Oh, the one who steals Tsuna's lunches every day."

"I don't steal. The herbivore offered and I don't bite him to death," Kyouya said.

"She. That person wearing a boys' uniform is a she," Mukuro pointed out.

Hibari whipped his head to look at Mukuro. "A she?"

"No, Jyuudaime isn't!" Hayato shouted, running into the kitchen, followed by Takeshi and Ryohei. "Jyuudaime isn't a female!"

"Who's not a girl?" Takeshi asked between pants.

"It's-" Mukuro started before being kicked in the shin by Daisy.

"Tsuna's grandmother. Apparently, she was enrolled in this prestigious high school and she couldn't afford the school uniform. When she was given a uniform, Tsuna's grandfather at the time mistaken her for a boy and somehow forced her to spend over a year as a boy, which was fine for her because she didn't mind."

"Oh, okay, but I don't get it," Takeshi confessed as Zakuro gave him and Ryohei bottled water.

"It's sort of like this drama where a girl gets herself enrolled in school as a boy, only my grandmother did indeed enroll herself as a girl, only wore the boys' uniform," Tsuna explained, entering the kitchen wearing her butler outfit.

"After school jobs are forbidden," Hibari Kyouya said, taking out his tonfas.

"I may be working, but I'm not getting paid for this," Tsunayoshi said.

"It's not forbidden if you're only volunteering!" Hayato put in.

"Can you fight?" Kyouya asked Tsuna.

"Oh, you don't wanna fight Tsuna head-on. Tsuna's the strongest out of everyone on the staff," Zakuro said. "Can we close the door now?"

"No, not yet. We're waiting for two ladies, maybe three, and a child," Tsuna said.

"A kid? Please don't tell me it's that cow kid," Zakuro pleaded.

Mukuro's face darkened at the mention of Lambo.

"No, it's not him," Tsuna said as Hana, Kyoko, and the child came in.

"You…you guys….are way…too fast," Hana panted.

"But…that was…so much fun…." Kyoko added.

"That race is ranked 101 out of 87,581 races in Japan," the child said.

"Rank ing Fuuta?" Mukuro called out.

"You know him?" Tsuna asked as Zakuro handed the girls and kid water.

"He's the informant Futa, who can make very accurate rankings," Mukuro explained. "Because his rankings are 100% accurate, many people, especially the mafia, are after him."

"THAT'S EXTREMELY INCREDIBLE!" Ryohei shouted.

"Quit shouting, lawn head!" Hayato yelled.

"I'M JUST EXPRESSING MY FEELINGS! THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT!" Ryohei replied.

"I don't think he knows how to use his indoor voice," Tsuna commented, who had placed her hands over her ears.

"So that's why there were so many scary-looking men after you," Hana said.

"Yes. I was looking for someone who could take me in. According to my rankings," the child, now known as Fuuta, took out a large book and flipped it to a certain page, "this place is the number 1 safe and secure spot in Namimori. Not even an ant can get in or out."

"Really? Only in Namimori?" Tsunayoshi asked.

"It's ranked 27th in all of Japan, 101th in the entire world," Fuuta explained.

"I can handle that," Tsunayoshi said.

"You mean to say that there is no chance for me to go out either?" Mukuro asked.

"Course. You're our guest, remember?" Zakuro threw an arm over Mukuro's shoulders.

Mukuro shrugged it off. "I'm going to my room."

He nearly ran into Bluebell as he walked out. "What's his problem? And who did all the screaming and yelling? Is someone dying?"

"I'M EXTREMELY SORRY!" Ryohei shouted.

"And there goes our eardrums…" Daisy said.

_**Sawada House**_

"Who are you? I'm Lambo-san. Who am I? You're Lambo," Lambo sang as he helped Sawada Nana with the laundry. Well, Reborn helped more than Lambo did.

"Lambo-kun, Reborn-kun, thanks to you two, putting away the laundry became so much easier," Nana said to him. "How about hamburger for dinner?"

"Yay! Hamburger!" Lambo cheered.

"I'm fine with anything as long as it's ground beef," Reborn seemed to have said this to taunt Lambo.

"All right. Why don't you play out here while I start making them?" Nana said, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah! Prepare to die, Reborn!" Lambo got grenades from his afro and proceeded to throw them at Reborn.

Reborn's Leon turned into a fly swatter and Reborn simply swatted the grenades back at Lambo. Lambo's grenades exploded in his face, covering him in soot, his afro and clothing a bit singed.

Reborn looked up at the sky and saw something black that's getting bigger and bigger. Then he realized it was something falling from the sky. Reborn smirked. Reborn tugged on Lambo's clothing and dragged him to a certain spot in the yard. Then he crept away.

Still recovering from the grenades, Lambo didn't notice that he was dragged. He was dead to the world until something fell on top of him. Hard, as though it fell from a very high height.

"Eh? What happened, Lambo-kun, Reborn-kun?" Nana came out and saw a little Chinese child on top of Lambo. "Oh, my. You've made a new friend, Lambo-kun. Can he stay for dinner?"

"This friend is a she, actually, Maman. Her name is I-pin. And she'll be staying with us," Reborn said.

Hearing that, "All right~! Four servings of hamburger it is!"

She cheerfully went back to the kitchen.

The little Chinese child, I-pin, groaned and got up. "這裡是哪裡 (Where is this place)?" I-pin said in Chinese.

"Get off of Lambo-san!" Lambo cried, pushing I-pin off him.

"AHHH! 一個西蘭花怪物 (A broccoli monster)!" I-pin cried, getting into a stance.

"What's Pin Head saying?" Lambo said.

Reborn, knowing all the languages known to man, translated for I-pin. I-pin got embarrassed, sweating so much, and then 9 pinzu markings appeared on I-pin's forehead. She clung to Lambo.

Lambo, not knowing the danger, just ran around the yard and Reborn, too amused to spoil the fun, kicked the stupid cow away so that it won't affect the house.

Nana, inside the kitchen, heard a boom right outside her window. "Wow! Lambo-kun, I-pin-chan, and Reborn-kun sound like they're having so much fun~! *sigh* If only Tsu-chan was like this before she decided to grow up…"

_**Zangetsu Mansion**_

"Wow~! They're so cute~!" Kyoko commented as she twirled in her maid outfit.

"These do look nice. Maybe we should do a maid cafe when the culture festival comes around," Hana commented, wearing a maid outfit herself.

"Now that you mention it, our footmen clothes make us look sharp," Takeshi said, wearing the footman uniform.

"Of course. As a servant, you should always look professional so that you won't embarrass your employer," Hayato replied, wearing the footman uniform for Tsuna.

"EVERYONE LOOKS EXTREMELY COOL!" Ryohei shouted.

"There's no need to shout that," Zakuro said, still covering his ears.

"Especially since cool is the wrong term for the girls. Instead, you should say that Hana looks like a splendid beauty like an amaryllis, and Kyoko a white camellia because she's adorable," Tsunayoshi said.

The comments made the girls blush.

"Oh, Tsuna-kun. You're too kind," Kyoko said, easily brushing it off.

"You really are the perfect host," Hana said, her cheeks red.

"Speaking of flowers, would you girls like to take some home?" Daisy asked. "There's too many in the second greenhouse. I can also teach you guys how to flower press them, if you'd like."

"Haru wants to, desu~!" a voice said, coming into the room.

The group turned and saw Haru, carrying a large duffle bag, being led into the room by Kikyo.

"Sorry for being late," Haru said.

"It's alright. We just got here ourselves," Kyoko said.

"Who is this?" Hayato asked.

"This is Haru, a friend of Kyoko's. She came by the other day with Kyoko," Tsunayoshi explained.

"What's in the bag?" Zakuro asked.

"Oh, Little Devil was saying that he really liked all sorts of different Japanese uniforms," Haru explained. "A friend of one of my sempai's is a cosplayer, so I sent her pictures of every middle school in Japan. To Haru's surprise, she finished them all and sent them to me. These are for Little Devil to see."

"THAT'S EXTREMELY INCREDIBLE!" Ryohei shouted.

"Hahi! Who's this?"

"This is my big brother," Kyoko introduced.

"Who's 'Little Devil?'" Takeshi asked.

"I had hoped that you would stop calling me that," Mukuro appeared, a dark aura around him.

"Why not? The name suits you," Tsuna said.

"And besides, it's better than ero-pineapple," Bluebell said, appearing from behind Tsuna.

In his life, Mukuro had heard many nicknames. Monster. Demon. Oni. Illusionist. Future convict. Herbivore (Well, this one's a new one). Bastard. Son of a bitch... but never ero-pineapple. Though he never thought names would ever be taunting in any way to his ears, Bluebell's just pierced the heart painfully.

"Ero…pineapple…" Hayato snickered.

"Hahi? Pineapple? Oh yeah, Little Devil's hairstyle really does look like a pineapple," Haru said cheerfully, adding another piercing arrow into Mukuro's heart.

"Hn. A pineapple herbivore," Kyouya commented, eating another hamburger with Fuuta, piercing into Mukuro's heart.

"Haru, if you wish to wear the maid outfit, then please don't say anymore, otherwise Little Devil will destroy whatever innocence you have left," Tsunayoshi said, half-threatening, half-warning her. "That means you too, Hayato."

"Hai! Jyuudaime!" Hayato said.

"Haru, come this way. We already have your maid outfit ready," Bluebell said, gesturing to the room next to her.

Mukuro's mind was echoing 'ero-pineapple'. He only came back to life when Tsunayoshi poked him in the cheek with a card.

"Do forgive her. Bluebell always likes to speak her mind," Tsunayoshi said. "No matter what people call you, Little Devil-kun, you have a grace that bewitches people and lures them in. Just like these flowers."

Tsunayoshi handed Mukuro two cards and left him alone. Mukuro opened the first card. It was a flower press of an orchid. The long stem bore white flowers arrogated in a spiral, twisted upwards as if toward the sun.

"Oh, that's the lady's tresses," Daisy said, looking over his shoulder with Zakuro.

"These are really rare, but they're very common in Scandinavia," Daisy added.

"Come to think of it, I remember that Tsuna had this even before any of us were here," Zakuro commented. "She said that she had wanted to show it to someone, but that someone wasn't around anymore, so she kept it all this time. I guess she got tried of waiting."

"What does this flower mean?" Mukuro asked.

"It means bewitching grace," Daisy said.

"Bewitching…grace…," Mukuro repeated. He opened the second card. It was of a small twig with three pink blossoms on it.

"This is a quince blossom. It means enticement," Daisy said. "We grow one or two quince trees in the first greenhouse because of the fruit it bears."

Mukuro stared at the two flower pressed cards. "Enticement…bewitching grace…"

"Why does Jyuudaime give you flowers!?" Hayato whined.

"Probably because you made fun of him and his pineapple hair style," Zakuro said.

Mukuro was once again irked by the pineapple comment.

"Oh, now that you mention it, where's Tsuna?" Takeshi said.

Everyone looked around, Tsuna was nowhere to be seen.

"Here are some cakes that I had made, believing that everyone would visit today," Tsunayoshi said, rolling in a cart full of sliced cakes. "I got excited, so I made a lot. I hope everyone will enjoy them."

"Th-this is a lot of cakes, even with slices," Hana commented.

"Itadakimasu~!" Kyoko and Haru said, picking up a cake and eating it.

"Oh, Tsuna-san, now that you're here. Don't I look cute in this?" Haru asked Tsunayoshi, twirling in her outfit like Kyoko had done, many moments ago.

Before Tsuna could reply, Fuuta asked, "Why don't I give a ranking of 'Who is the most attractive in their uniform?'"

"That's a good idea."

"I would like that."

"EXTREMELY AWESOME IDEA!"

"Okay." Then the items nearest Fuuta started to float, including Kyouya.

"Eh? The sitting room…"

"Amazing theatrics…" commented Haru, thinking that everything is just a show.

"It's so incredible how a little kid like him can do so much," Kyoko added, also believing that it was a show.

"Yeah, incredible…" Hana said, not believing that it was a show.

"This is Fuuta. I can hear you, ranking planet," Fuuta said, his eyes doing a galaxy reflection.

"What is he saying, Little Devil?" Tsuna asked.

Mukuro really dislike Tsuna's nickname, but it was better than 'ero-pineapple.' "Rumor has it that ranking Fuuta contacts a planet that ranks everything," he explained.

"It's romantic," Haru commented.

"I think you need to get your brain checked," Zakuro said.

"The one who looks most attractive to Tsuna: rank 3, Hibari Kyouya," Fuuta said.

"Hahi! That scary sempai looks attractive to Tsuna-san!" Haru exclaimed.

"How is it that Hibari looks better? He's only wearing the school uniform!" Hayato complained.

"Rank 2, Kikyo," Fuuta said.

"Well, it is a given, considering that Kikyo's hair is beautiful," Tsuna explained.

"Why, thank you, Tsuna," Kikyo said.

"And rank 1, Master Zangetsu," continued Fuuta.

"The master?!" said everyone who is surprised.

"Come to think of it, where is the master?" Hana asked.

"Oh, the master has a few meetings in Hokkaido, and will be unable to return tonight," Kikyo answered.

"Th-then what does the master look like?" Haru asked.

"I remember that the Master is just an old man!" Hayato said.

"The Master, while an old man, is a man of wisdom and cleverness," Tsunayoshi said. "He thinks nothing but how we can improve ourselves. Everything is a battle ground no matter what we see or think of the matter. He can be very charming with his wise words."

"Sounds like a crush there, Tsuna," Hana commented.

"Oh, does it?"

"Ahaha, I feel kinda disappointed that I lost to the Master," Takeshi said.

"Better luck next time," Ryohei said.

"Oh, wow. You didn't shout this time," Zakuro said.

"But Sasagawa-san is no. 1 when it comes to extremeness," Fuuta said.

"THAT IS EXTREMELY GREAT! AND I WILL CONTINUE TO BE EXTREME!" Ryohei shouted.

"If that's the case, then, kid! For the ranking of people suitable to be Jyuudaime's right-hand man, what place am I?" Hayato demanded.

"The ranking for who is most suitable to be Tsuna's right-hand man…Let's see…Hayato-nii's place is…out of range."

"What!" Hayato shouted, barely able to stand, for Zakuro had to support him.

"There's such a place as 'out of range' in ranking?" asked Tsuna.

"I didn't say it was out of range for the ranking," replied Fuuta. "It's atmospherically out of range."

"Outside the Earth?" repeated Tsuna, voicing out Hayato's thinking. "Seriously? Oh, well. Hayato, at least I can let you know that you're not in first place."

"Ahahahaha. This kid is funny," commented Takeshi.

"Takeshi thinks it's another game again," said Tsuna.

"But there are more jobs for you than just being the right hand man, Hayato-nii," Futa said. "Hayato-nii ranks number 1 out of 82,203 for people suitable as a kindergarten teacher."

Shocked, Tsuna exclaimed, "You mean, this Hayato who didn't get along with kids from the children's shelter is fit to be a Kindergarten teacher?"

"After all, Hayato-nii is number 2 out of 82,203 people who likes kids. It's the most suitable job," continued Fuuta.

Everyone imaged Hayato in a kindergarten apron with kids surrounding him and grabbing his pant legs.

"Bad image, bad image. No imagining. Any of you," commanded Tsuna, waving away any left over imagination clouds.

"I…I liked kids…?" wondered Hayato, collapsing to his knees.

"I commend you, Fuuta! Great ranking skills," commented Bianchi, who seems to have pinned herself to the ceiling due to Fuuta's ranking/floating abilities. "But the most important thing is love."

"Bianchi-san, please don't glue yourself to the ceiling," Tsunayoshi said.

"How cool!" exclaimed Haru.

"You're always such a spectacle," commented Takeshi.

"VERY EXTREME!" Ryohei shouted.

"Who's this?" Hana asked.

"A very kind lady," Kyoko said.

"It looks like a horror movie scene at any angle," Daisy said.

"Oh, wow. Looks like Clumsy Boy's petrified from all the different shocks," Zakuro commented, seeing that Hayato's gone pale stone white from the shock of him having the job as a kindergarten teacher in the future and seeing Bianchi from the ceiling.

"Take this opportunity and make a love ranking," commanded Bianchi. "It's time to clarify who loves who."

"What are you talking about, Bianchi?" asked Tsuna.

"I'd love that!" Hana cheered.

"Then to start off, let's begin with Tsuna's love ranking," Fuuta said.

"Mine?" Then Tsuna felt herself floating in the air.

"Wow! Everyone's floating!" Zakuro exclaimed as everything and everyone has started to float.

"Tsuna's love ranking," continued Fuuta.

"Number one is Daisy's doll," Fuuta said.

Then everyone turned to look at the doll in Daisy's hands.

"No way. Impossible," the staff, including Tsunayoshi, said, all brushing it off.

"Eh? But it's ranking Fuuta. He's never wrong," Mukuro said.

Bluebell looked out the window. "AAHHH! It's raining! I have to check and see if all the windows are closed!" she cried.

"Rain?" Fuuta repeated.

Then everything that was floating slammed back down to Earth. Luckily, Tsuna, and the staff, and Kyouya managed to land on their feet. Everyone landed uncomfortably on the ground. As soon as she landed on her feet, Bluebell ran out the door.

Tsuna saw Futa crawled himself into a ball.

"What's wrong with you, Futa?" asked Tsuna.

"I feel heavy," answered Futa. "I'm really weak to rain. I hate the rain. My ranking goes all wonky."

"Then why didn't you say that in the first place?" asked Tsunayoshi, pulling Fuuta into his arms.

"Hahi. So all the ranking after it had started raining was all very wrong?" asked Haru.

"So my ranking is also…" started Hayato, who managed to recover from his ranking shock.

"Then when did it start raining?" asked Haru.

"AAHHH! I have to put away all the plants! They've already been watered!" Daisy added, running out.

"I have to store away any spices that go bad in this weather," Zakuro finished, following Daisy out.

"I presume the ranking goes askew when it rains because there is an interference with the ranking planet's connection," explained Mukuro.

"I'll clean up the living room," Kikyo said.

"Let's help. I'd feel awkward if I did nothing when you guys are cleaning up," Kyoko offered.

"Haru will help too!" Haru exclaimed.

"I will too!" Hayato cried.

"I'm so proud of you, Hayato," Bianchi said, turning Hayato's face towards her. Then he fainted.

"SASAGAWA RYOHEI WILL HELP WITH THE MOVING!" Ryohei shouted.

"Then you can start by moving the bookshelves back to the walls," Kikyo said, removing his hands from his ears. "Ladies, why don't you shelve the books? We men will be moving the heavy things."

"All right!" Everyone agreed to do such things.

_**After a while**_

"My…everyone did such a good job in here," Tsunayoshi commented, seeing the sitting room.

"Things were finished faster because everyone was here," Kikyo said.

"Although it was thanks to them that the sitting room was such a mess in the first place," Mukuro said.

Everyone had gone home with cakes to go after cleaning up the room. It was getting late, after all.

"Eh? Where's the kid go?" Zakuro asked, coming into the sitting room.

"He's resting in one of the guest rooms," Tsunayoshi said. "I have called for a caretaker for him while he is in Japan. The caretaker will also protect him from any more of those mafia people from this afternoon."

"Really? Is it someone we know? From the mafia?" Mukuro asked.

"That…is…a secret," Tsunayoshi teased, putting a finger in front of his lips, making a shush sound at the end.

* * *

><p>Yes! I managed to end the chapter! If I had gone any more, it would've been too long. I've got some ideas for the next chapter, but because of uni, it'll be a while before I update.<p> 


	12. Chapter 12: Butler and Birthday

**A/N: I am terribly sorry for the late, late update. Words cannot expressed how sorry I am for this late update, but multiple times I have encountered various writer's block with this chapter, especially since Reborn has ended and now I'm more ****obsessed with One Piece. But not to worry. I'm still concentrated on all the current stories I have. Any bunny plots that are in my head will only appear after I finish Tsunayoshi. Cuz If I don't finish that, I'll never move on.**

* * *

><p>"Hmmm? Where am I?" little prince Fuuta said, as he roused from his sleep.<p>

"You're in one of the guest rooms of the Zangetsu mansion, my dear little prince," Tsunayoshi said, who had opened the curtains, revealing the morning sun. "Our master will be coming here in the afternoon. In the meantime, we must get you to eat breakfast and bring you to your caretaker."

"Caretaker?"

"Yes. She will take care for you while you are in Japan. Please don't worry much; she will treat you as though you are her son. She loves children because her child had grown up too quickly."

"But…"

"She is adequate in swordsmanship and her icy glare can freeze any man in their tracks. Those who were after you yesterday have not given up, but as long as you are under her protection, you shall not be harmed."

"But the Todd family from yesterday is rank seven in being the most bloodthirsty family and won't hesitate in killing innocent women and children!"

"As I said before, do not worry. I have asked for bodyguards while they bring you to your caretaker."

Then the door was kicked in. Hibari Kyouya walked in angrily.

"Kyouya-san, please don't kick the door in," Tsunayoshi asked.

"Fight me," Kyouya demanded.

"I cannot. I am busy," Tsunayoshi said as he walked out the door, getting past Kyouya. "Oh, and Little Prince, there are spare toiletries in the bathroom. Feel free to use them. As soon as you are done, do come to the dining room. We will have breakfast waiting for you."

"Oh, okay."

"I said, fight me, herbivore!" Kyouya demanded.

"As I have said earlier, I am busy!" Tsunayoshi turned around and held a sharp silverware knife at Kyouya's neck, bypassing his tonfas. "We had a deal, saying that if you escort the Little Prince to my family's home, you can have a free lunch and a fight with me before dinner. It is still early morning. Please don't make such a fuss."

Tsunayoshi withdrew the knife and walked away. In his stupor, Kyouya's blood was raging with bloodlust. He can't wait to fight the wolf that's hiding in the butler uniform, though demon would be more accurate.

"Breakfast is Japanese style: rolled eggs, freshly grilled salmon, miso soup, and rice," Tsunayoshi said as Kikyo and Bluebell served to Kyouya, Mukuro, and Fuuta. "Drinks are apple juice, orange juice, milk, Japanese green tea, and coffee. Which would you prefer, Fuuta?"

"Um…according to my rankings, your apple juice is no. 10 out of 874 in all of Japan, so I'll take apple juice," Fuuta said.

"Thank you. And what would you prefer, Mukuro-kun?"

"I'll take coffee," was Mukuro's curt response.

"Would you like milk, cream, or sugar in it?" Kikyo asked.

"Two spoonfuls of sugar and two drops of cream."

"Understood." Kikyo did as Mukuro asked and put his drink in front of him.

"Kyouya-san?"

"I'll take Japanese green tea," said the Disciplinary leader who's sitting on the other side of the other two.

"Of course," Tsunayoshi said as he placed Kyouya's preferred drink in front of him.

Mukuro was a bit troubled by the fact that Tsunayoshi served Kyouya his drink. He was surprised by his thought and roughly shook it away.

After breakfast was served, Fuuta was prepared to leave the mansion with Kyouya and Bianchi as his bodyguards.

"Are you sure you can't guard me?" Fuuta asked. He had no problems with Kyouya or Bianchi. It's just that Tsunayoshi ranked no. 1 as the best bodyguard.

"I'm afraid I can't. The Master would be coming home soon. As the head butler, I must greet him," Tsunayoshi explained.

"Okay…."

"Don't worry, little man. You can always come visit us. Your new caretaker is a frequent visitor herself," Zakuro said, ruffling Fuuta's hair.

"It would be nice to see your face soon," Kikyo said.

"When you come visit, let's have a ranking of which flowers would look the best decorated inside the mansion," Daisy offered.

"We'll also have a footman uniform ready for you, if you wanna dress up," Bluebell said, hanging off of Tsunayoshi's arm.

"That would be fun," Fuuta said.

"Bianchi, even though you have not seen Reborn in a long while, you must protect Fuuta," Tsunayoshi said.

"I don't care. I just want to see Reborn," Bianchi said, ignoring the head butler's words.

Then the three left the grounds.

"Will they be alright?" Bluebell asked.

"Considering Bianchi's love obsession and Kyouya's bloodlust, they should," Tsunayoshi said.

The trio didn't meet with any trouble on their way down. The family that was after Fuuta the day before was beaten thoroughly by Ryohei and Kyouya. They would not be showing up soon. Especially not when Bianchi, the Poison Scorpion, is there.

When they got to their destination, an average two-story house, Fuuta was a bit surprised by the ordinariness, but this house was ranked no. 27 out of 325 in the safe and secure places in Namimori, just behind the Namimori Middle School. Bianchi ran in as soon as she saw the house. Fuuta was a bit scared in being left alone with Kyouya. But Fuuta knew that Kyouya held the number one spot in 'caring for little pets,' and Fuuta resembled a cute little animal, so he was safe.

"So you're Ranking Fuuta," a childish voice said.

Fuuta and Kyouya looked up and saw a baby, dressed in a suit, in Bianchi's loving arms. Bianchi had come out to stand by the gates as Reborn greeted the newest member of the household. They could see lovey-dovey hearts coming out of Bianchi.

"Oh, you're Reborn, the best hit man in the world!" Fuuta exclaimed. If his caretaker was Reborn, then he was safe! But Tsuna said that his caretaker was a woman.

"Yup. Maman said that you would be staying here while you're in Japan," Reborn said.

"Maman?"

"Oh, You must be Fuuta-kun." A beautiful woman with short brown hair came out of the house. Fuuta found it hard to believe that the kind and gentle-looking woman was going to be his caretaker, one who will protect him from people like the Todd family. Then again appearances can be deceiving.

"I am Sawada Nana, Tsu-chan's mother. You can call me Maman. Tsu-chan said that you would be staying with us. The more the merrier."

As soon as she said this, two little kids, no older than 5, ran out the opened door. One was dressed in cow pajamas. the other was wearing Chinese clothes.

The two stopped in their tracks when they saw the two outside the gates.

"Who's this? A new playmate for Lambo-san? Ohh! Do you wanna play with me?" the cow pajama kid said. "Lambo-san is so great! You wanna play with me! I-pin! This new guy wants to play with me!"

When he didn't get a response from the Chinese girl next to him, he shook her a bit. To his surprise, 6 pinzus were on her forehead as she stared lovingly at Kyouya. He was panicking. The last time, there was 9 pinzus on I-pin's forehead, he got boomed.

"And you must be Kyouya-kun," Nana continued as Lambo ran around panicking, carrying I-pin. "Tsu-chan said you wanted a nice lunch before you meet up with her."

"Her?" Kyouya repeated. Now, Lambo was kicked away by Reborn, far, far, away.

"Ara? You didn't know either? Tsu-chan is a girl. She received special permission from the principal to allow her to wear the boys' uniform," Nana explained. "I suppose that didn't stop her from saying that she's a boy. Why don't you come on in? I'll soon be done with lunch."

Kyouya walked in at the invitation, followed by Fuuta. Then, there was a giant bomb in the sky.

"Huh? Could there be sales going on today?" Nana wondered. Sometimes people doing sales would explode some mini fireworks to get shoppers' attention.

"According to my rankings, Maman, the supermarket will have the best sales today," Fuuta said.

"Really? Then we're going to have to take a trip after lunch," Nana said cheerfully. Then she remembered something. "Oh, we'll also have to be careful. I heard there are a lot of pickpockets in town lately."

That irked Kyouya. It bothered him that he didn't know about that. He called his vice president of the Disciplinary Committee, Kusakabe Tetsuya, to get members to watch over the shopping district and look out for any pickpockets.

"Lunch is done! Fuuta-kun, can you go get the little ones and wash their hands?" Nana asked.

"Okay!" Fuuta went out and found a singed Lambo, a love-struck I-pin who's holding back her shyness, and a Reborn being cuddled by Bianchi.

"Guys, it's time for lunch!" Fuuta called out.

That got the kids out of their state and they went inside to wash their hands before joining Kyouya and Nana at the dining table, though Kyouya took a seat at the counter rather than the table, which allowed I-pin to not see him.

"When Tsu-chan told me that there were guests who were coming by, I didn't know what I should make so I made a couple dishes," Nana said, gesturing to takoyaki, gyuudon (rice with beef), tonjiru (pork miso soup), and chukadon (a stir fry dish).

"It's more than enough," Kyouya said, picking a plate of chukadon.

"Not to worry, Maman's cooking is always delicious no matter what you make," Reborn complimented, picking a plate of gyuudon to taunt Lambo.

"Here, let me feed you, Reborn," Bianchi said, spoon-feeding him.

The kids picked takoyaki, cheering as they did.

"Don't forget to drink some soup, too," Nana reminded everyone.

After lunch, Kyouya quickly left to check on the shopping district. When he left, I-pin saw his face and became love-struck once more, unleashing the 9 pinzu bomb. Lambo started running around, carrying her as he panicked.

"I-pin's Pinzu-timed super explosion ranks 38th out of 816 most powerful attacks," Fuuta commented, taking out his large book of rankings. Then Reborn kicked Lambo off again, taking I-pin with him. "When it comes to mid-range fighting techniques, the Gyoza-ken ranks 116th out of 520 effective attacks. At her age, the stats are amazing! With things as they are now, I-pin ranks third out of 52,262 people for the potential of becoming a promising assassin. Tsuna-nee would've become first in that ranking, but she is among the top 10 people in the 'dislike taking another's life.'"

I-pin's bomb exploded, making Lambo covered in soot as he fell back to earth.

"If that's the case, what are Tsuna's rankings of becoming the Donna of the Vongola Family?" Reborn asked.

"Umm…I hate to say it, but it's out of range," Fuuta confessed.

Reborn frowned. He looked outside; nope, it was not raining. He heard about what happened yesterday at the mansion by Kikyo, who was told by Tsunayoshi to report to him daily about everything that happened in the mansion, even if the report's the same as the day before.

"What do you mean by 'out of range?'" Reborn demanded.

"Tsuna could've been ranked in fifth place, but for some odd reason, she didn't get a place."

"Does that mean she won't ever?" Bianchi asked, hoping that it meant Tsuna will die and Reborn will go back to her.

"I'm not really sure."

"What do you mean?" _'Come to think of it,'_ Reborn thought, _'she did seem to have a past shrouded in shadows, even to the Vongola. Maybe that has to do with it.'_

"Everyone! Let's go shopping!" Nana called out.

The kids cheered.

At the shopping district, there were many Disciplinary members. Kyouya saw the Sawada group and decided to tail them since Nana was an easy target, especially with everyone trying to get her to buy them stuff.

"Maman, I want to drink the coffee from this coffee-shop," said the baby in a suit.

"Sure, let's go buy some," Nana replied.

The kid in cow pajamas clung to the large plastic ice cream outside the local ice cream shop. "Lambo-san wants the soft ice cream!"

"Okay, okay. It can't be helped," Nana replied.

I-pin jumped herself to cling to Nana's arm sleeve and pointed to a shop. "That smells good, Mama!"

"I-pin-chan wants some sweet chestnuts?" Nana asked to make sure.

Fuuta pointed to the shop next to the chestnut vendors. "Mama, this place's hard-baked rice crackers are ranked tenth."

All the kids and Bianchi started pulling Nana to get what they want.

"Soft Ice Cream!" cried Lambo.

"Chestnuts!" I-pin chimed.

"Rice crackers!" added Futa.

"Coffee's first," Reborn reminded calmly, even though he's pulling on Nana too.

Bianchi tugged on Nana's other arm sleeve. "I want something, too."

"Don't pull so much," Nana replied cheerfully.

Kyouya briefly gave Nana respect for handling everyone crowding her. If he were the one handling them, he would've bitten everyone to death.

Then he saw someone going near the Sawada group. He smirked. Kyouya was right in following them; he saw the pickpocket try to rob the mother. Kyouya happily bit the pickpocket before he could reach Nana, and he led Kyouya to the other two pickpockets.

"Those who choose to disrupt the discipline of Namimori will be bitten to death," Kyouya said, finished bitting all three pickpockets who turned out to be the 'Three Brothers in Crime.'

Kyouya had Kusakabe take the three brothers to the police. He was about to leave when he saw some men in suits approaching Fuuta and Nana.

Fuuta also saw the men in suits, which made Nana notice them.

"Hand the kid over to us and we won't start a mess here," the badly beaten leader, Paolo, demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Nana asked. Kyouya was about to repeat what he did to the men yesterday, but what Nana did surprised him and Fuuta.

"I'm very sorry, sir, but you can't take away Fuuta-kun," Nana said, grasping Paolo's hand. Paolo felt that Nana's hand was icy cold, even though the weather wasn't that cold. "Tsu-chan told me that you have been chasing after Fuuta-kun for so long that he couldn't even have one peaceful day. I don't know if that means anything to you, but," Nana glared coldly at the men, "I will not tolerate anything that forces a child to not enjoy their childhood. So do _not appear _in front of Fuuta-kun again."

At the end, the men in suits felt as if they were frozen by a blizzard in the middle of winter. They couldn't move even when Nana took Fuuta away.

Nana felt Fuuta staring at her. "Tsuna wasn't lying when she said you have an icy glare…"

"Ohoho, that's just something I picked up from my kabuki classmate, Shirayuki," Nana gushed. "Whenever there was a large crowd of fans, Shirayuki would do that and she could walk by the fans peacefully."

"But wouldn't that make her lose fans?"

"For some odd reason, that made the fans love her all the more."

_'Th-that just means they're masochists, Maman…_' Fuuta thought, sweat dropping.

"Ara, aren't you Zakuro-san?" Nana asked a nearby red-headed man with a green haired boy.

The red-headed man turned, and it was indeed Zakuro.

"Oh, hey there, Nana-san," Zakuro greeted. His arms were fill of groceries and the green haired boy was Daisy whose arms were also full of groceries.

"How are you two? Oh, and thank you for sending Fuuta here. He is such a charming little boy."

"We're good. Thanks. Glad to hear that you like the little prince, Nana-san. We'd love to stay and chat, but we have to get ready for the ball tomorrow," Daisy said.

"Ball?"

Zakuro and Daisy stared at her, as though pitying her. "Don't tell me that you forgot your own daughter's birthday…" Daisy said.

Nana was reminded that Tsuna's birthday was coming up pretty soon. "But isn't Tsu-chan's birthday the day after tomorrow?"

"Tsuna found out that that home tutor's birthday happened to be tomorrow, so she decided to have a joint birthday party with him," Zakuro explained. "But you should be receiving an invitation today."

"Oh that's good. That Reborn-kun…He never told me that his birthday was tomorrow…" Nana pouted.

"Well, we have to get going now. See you tomorrow night," Zakuro said, and he and Daisy hurried off.

"A ball! How fun! I haven't been to one for a while now!" Nana said cheerfully.

"A ball? When are we going to a ball?" Lambo asked, coming back to the group with I-pin, Reborn, and Bianchi.

"We're going to a ball tomorrow night. Now let's go home. Everyone got what they wanted, right?"

"Hai~!"

_**The next day at school**_

"Tsuna-kun! Thank you so much for the invitation!" Kyoko said, going up to Tsuna with Hana. "Haru-chan called and she was very happy, too. I didn't know that your birthday and Reborn-kun's were so close together."

"But I'm kinda amazed that you went so long without telling us," Haru added.

"Eh? Are you sure we've never talked about birthdays? I thought for sure we'd have," Tsuna said. "Anyways, Zangetsu had given me permission to borrow his mansion for the party. And since the mansion is too far away for anyone to walk home at night, it's a sleepover."

"A sleepover! That's so exciting!" Kyoko exclaimed.

"This Zangetsu sounds like a nice guy," Takeshi said, "even though we've never met him before."

"Now that I think about it, even I hadn't met him," Hayato muttered before bowing dramatically to Tsuna, "Jyuudaime! Please forgive for not paying my respects to the master!"

"It's all right. You two just keep missing each other," Tsuna said.

"So are we going to be seeing the master Zangetsu at the ball?" Hana asked.

"Yes. We are. Master Zangetsu always makes at least an appearance at a ball he's expected to go to," Tsuna said.

"He thinks of this as a ball?"

"Because it's to celebrate the birthday of his most precious pupil."

_**Mansion**_

"I know that this isn't the your first time cooking for my birthday," Tsunayoshi started. "I also know that you are quite laid-back and impatient easily, but THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO USE A FLAMETHROWER!"

Tsuna and Zakuro were standing in the middle of a black charred room of what used to be the kitchen. Zakuro went overzealous and decided to hurry up the heating process by using a flamethrower. But that backfired and blew up the kitchen.

"Anyways, we're lucky that not all the ingredients have been charred. We can also add some more sweets."

"No problem. I can make some easy stuff."

"Good."

Then they heard a loud crash and the sound of glass shattering.

"I'll go check on Bluebell."

"Roger!" Zakuro saluted Tsunayoshi.

Tsunayoshi found Bluebell had lost control of her trolley and the trolley had crashed into a book cabinet. The books weren't damaged and they just needed to replace the glass.

"However, the problem is the stemmed water glass," Tsunayoshi said, staring at the broken glasses. "They'll take a while to replace."

"BOO. But what are we going to use to replace these broken ones?"

"We have a furnace and other things that require glass making. I can make some new ones after the party."

"Boo~ it's a pain to clean up..."

"Either way, I'll leave that to you."

Tsunayoshi went out to the back gardens. She saw Daisy moving potted plants here and there.

"What are you thinking of making the garden look like?" Tsunayoshi asked, seeing only dark plants.

"I'm going for a sinister, yet beautiful fairy tale garden," Daisy explained. "Kinda like how you are when you're being mean while at the same time being polite."

"Well, October is already here so we can pass the sinister off as Halloween…"

"What are you talking about? It's your birthday!"

"You and I both know that I don't care much for birthdays."

"But it's your birthday!"

"The fact that everyone's setting things up for the ball for my birthday party is already enough for me," Tsuna said before she left the garden in Daisy's hands.

Kikyo was handling the ballroom. His decoration ideas wasn't as impressive as Tsuna's, who has a vast imagination, but it'll still leave people in awe. The ballroom so clean it glistened with bright light from the shining crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling; orange blossoms with black ribbons decorated the railings on the second floor and stairs. There was space for a stereo to play music and also a piano, in case people wanted to play. The tables and chairs were covered with dark purple cloths. The vases on the tables had artistic black and purple flower arrangements, courtesy from Daisy. There were long tables near the walls that will hold the food that Zakuro's making, so that people will choose whatever they liked.

"My, you've outdone yourself, Kikyo," Tsunayoshi complimented, looking around the ballroom. "You've improved."

"Thank you, Tsuna," Kikyo replied. "I just need to add more roses and ribbons on the stair railings and then I'll be done."

"Good. Then I'll handle 'Little Devil.'" At that, Tsunayoshi left the ballroom and went his way.

_**Mukuro**_

Mukuro stared at the boxes of suits and bags of clothing that were in his room. He was assigned to this room shortly after Tsuna kissed him in the infirmary. No one bothered him to do chores; he was free to do whatever he wanted, except show up when it was time to eat. Multiple times he tried to stab Tsuna with his trident knife, but Tsuna somehow turned the tables and he found a silverware knife at his neck, sharp enough to pierce into skin. Because of this repeated pattern, Mukuro gave up on that approach and spent his days, trying to figure out ways to get Tsuna under his possession.

But never had he been given clothes like these. He had been given the Kokuyo gakuen that Tsuna promised she would give him. He was rather confused on why he was receiving such expensive clothing and so much of it too.

"Oh, so you've noticed the mountain of clothing," Tsuna said, suddenly appearing at his side, surprising him. "I got you some tuxedoes since there will be some occasions where there will be a formal ball here. When that happens, you'll have to show yourself because people have heard that you're here under the master's care."

"Under the master's care…" Mukuro snorted. "More like under the butler's care."

"I do not deny that," Tsuna giggled. "Since you didn't seem to have a preference to clothing, I had went and bought you everything you will and might need, including underwear. Everything should fit you, and if you don't like any, just tell Kikyo and he'll switch them out for you. Now pick your clothes for tonight. There's going to be a party."

"Huh? But…"

"Don't worry. Reborn and I don't expect you giving us presents. Just you showing your face and not harming anyone is enough for us."

"What?"

"Eh? You weren't told? It's a party for Reborn's and my birthdays. We found out that our birthdays were next to each other, so we decided to do a joint party."

"…I…see…"

"Now what would you like to wear tonight? It's a casual party so you don't have to worry about dress code."

"Why don't you pick? I am under your care, after all," Mukuro mocked.

Tsuna stared at him. She put down the clothes on a nearby chair. Mukuro then found himself staring at her eyes as she held his face between her two hands. Tsuna's face crept closer and Mukuro shut his eyes. He felt his heart beat faster than it should have been. He felt lips kissing his right eye and the lips withdrew.

Mukuro blinked his eyes open. Tsuna was smiling softly at him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that showing up at a birthday party would make you feel so uncomfortable. If it really does bother you, I'll make an excuse for you." Tsuna let go of his face and went to put away the clothes.

"It's such a shame though. Mom was eager to meet you after I told her about you."

"You…told your mother about me…?"

"Of course. She was really surprised to hear that you were going to be living here. Mom was really excited to meet the person who was christened 'Little Devil.'"

Though annoyed by the nickname, Mukuro thought blankly about the Vongola Princess' mother. Meeting the mother…If the mother was anything like Tsuna…

"My mom's a natural Yamato Nadeshiko. She won't get angry at anything unless it's something to get really angry about," Tsuna explained.

Oh, so the mother is similar to the Vongola. That's much better. But, despite this, that only made Mukuro more nervous. His world, stained by blood of the mafia world, hadn't given him much experience with women, and his previous lives didn't help much, other than using them to help get him what he wanted.

Walking towards the young butler, Mukuro, his chest to Tsuna's back, held the hand that was holding a dark blue dress shirt that matched his hair. "This one will suit me best. Meeting your mother…Kufufufufu…she will be an excellent way to possess you."

"So you are interested in Tsuna, Little Devil," a voice said behind the two at the doorway. "Never knew you had it in you to introduce yourself to the mom even though you're not dating Tsuna."

Mukuro jumped back from Tsuna, and the two turned to see Zakuro leaning against the doorway.

"Zakuro, I thought you were cooking the dinner," Tsunayoshi said.

"I am. I just realized that I would be needing some help, and figured that the bored Little Devil would help. But I guess he's too busy chasing after your skirt, so I won't ask," Zakuro teased.

"I am not chasing after anyone. I'll help with the food," Mukuro said, irritated by the cook's words, leaving the room to go to the kitchen.

"He's so shy, even though he's called 'Little Devil'…." Zakuro teased.

_**An hour before the party**_

Hayato was the first one to arrive at the party, feeling proud of himself. Then he saw that Mukuro was helping Zakuro with the buffet.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?" Hayato demanded.

"Helping with the food," Mukuro said, putting a large serving tray on one of the electric fires that will keep it heated.

"I don't think so! I bet you probably poisoned the food just to possess Jyuudaime!" Hayato claimed, getting that serving tray and throwing it on the ground.

"No. He really is helping out cuz I made him, and you made a mess just when Kikyo cleaned things up," Zakuro said.

"Hayato, Did you really have to do that?" Tsunayoshi appeared with towels. "If you really did think that Little Devil poisoned the food, all you had to do was add some antidote to neutralize the poison. Not throw the food on the ground and waste the food."

"I-I'm so sorry, Jyuudaime! And at your joint birthday party with Reborn-san, too!" Hayato bowed deeply, so very ashamed of himself.

"Luckily, the party is still an hour away. Zakuro will have to remake the dish. Hayato, clean this up. And Little Devil, go get ready."

"Get ready?" Hayato asked as Zakuro left for the kitchen.

"He's coming down for the party."

"WHAT?!" Hayato exploded. "Jyuudaime! It's one thing to allow him to stay here, another thing to let him help with the food for your joint birthday party with Reborn-san; it's a complete whole other thing to let him come to the party!"

"Oh, you worry too much, Hayato," Tsuna brushed off his concerns. "Little Devil's not going to do anything, and this is going to be his first time celebrating a girl's birthday."

"How do you know that this pineapple guy's not going to do anything!?" Hayato demanded.

"Stop calling me 'pineapple,'" Mukuro demanded, his trident appearing in his hand, pointing the knife at Hayato's head. Turning to the cross-dressing butler, "And what did you mean by my first time celebrating a girl's birthday? I have, in my previous lives."

"Oh, you have previous lives? That's right. You said that each of your Six Paths represented your previous lives. I'm sorry. I meant in this life."

"And how did you know that?"

"In your records, all who you had celebrated birthdays for were your friends who were boys, and M.M. was the first girl you met in this life and you didn't stay with each other for long, so I'm supposing that my birthday would be your first time."

"That is one way to put it."

"But, Jyuudaime, the party is only one hour away. Why does this pineapple guy need so much time get ready?"

"I said stop calling me 'pineapple!'" Mukuro demanded, managing to cut Hayato's face before Tsuna took away his trident.

"You cut me! See Jyuudaime! See what I mean!" Hayato shouted, holding his bleeding cheek.

"Yes. You deserved that, Hayato. I've told you not to call him that a few days ago, remember," Tsuna said.

Hayato reluctantly nodded yes.

"But yes. Why would I be needing an hour to get ready for your party?"

"Because with the way Little Devil washes up in the morning, I suppose you need as much time as you get to get ready."

"I do not!"

"Yes you do. Bluebell and Zakuro said that you spend at least half an hour on your hair and another half hour to decide what clothes you'll wear for the day, even though all you have is the Kokuyo gakuen outfit you're wearing and those shirts you brought with you from Italy," Tsuna explained, making Mukuro feel very embarrassed.

"You are such a girl," Hayato dead-panned.

"Be quiet," Mukuro demanded, unable to stab Hayato again because Tsuna's still holding his weapon.

"Now, now, boys. Time to get everything ready now. We still have a party to attend to."

Reluctantly, Hayato and Mukuro turned heads and went their ways.

_**Partytime**_

"Happy Birthday!" everyone but Mukuro and Kyouya shouted and popped party favors.

"Thank you, everyone," Tsuna said. She and Reborn were covered with confetti.

"This is going to be a great birthday party," Reborn commented as he and Tsuna brushed off the confetti.

"Yes. It is, Reborn," Bianchi said lovingly, hugging her lover.

"Hey, Zakuro-san. I know that you guys have probably made a lot of food already, but my old man heard about the party and give sushi," Takeshi told the cook, holding a few stacks of bento boxes of sushi.

"Oh, that's fine," Zakuro said. "More leftovers for us. Here, you can put them here."

Takeshi and Zakuro placed the sushi among the trays of food Mukuro and the chef had placed.

"Wow! How deluxe!" Haru exclaimed, she, Fuuta, and Nana looking at the bentos of sushi.

"Thank you so much, Takeshi," Tsuna said to the baseball prodigy.

"I'll feed you, Onii-chan," Kyoko said, already holding a plate of food.

"Oh! Thanks, Kyoko!" Ryohei said.

"You two have a cute sibling relationship," Hana commented.

"Since it's such a rare opportunity, everyone should eat up," said a guy with a pompadour hairstyle in a gakuen uniform to a group of other males with pompadour hairstyles in gakuen uniforms.

"Who are they?" Bluebell asked.

"They're the Disciplinary Committee from Tsuna's school," Kikyo explained. "It seems like when we gave Hibari Kyouya an invitation, the invitation was extended to the Committee."

"FE-A-ST! FE-A-ST!" Lambo cried, gathering piles of food on his plate.

"Lambo! Share!" I-pin cried, scolding the afro child.

"If you don't shut up, I'll kill you, stupid cow," Bianchi threatened.

"Eh? Wait, doesn't Clumsy Boy get sick whenever he sees his sister? Boo," Bluebell asked.

"He does. He's over there," Daisy said, pointing at a very far corner of the ballroom where Hayato's hiding from his sister.

"Gokudera-kun, will you be all right?" Kikyo asked.

"I-I'll be…fine, head steward," Hayato gasped out, his stomach in so much pain from seeing his sister's face. "But it's over for me." And then, he collapsed.

"And right on his beloved boss's joint birthday party," Zakuro commented.

"He shouldn't have pushed himself," Tsuna said, putting a blanket over him.

"He can't do that," Bianchi said.

"It's a disadvantage not to participate in a Vongolian Birthday party," Reborn explained.

"Vongolian Birthday party?"

"Yes, in our family, during the odd year birthdays, we have to do the legendary Vongolian birthday party," Reborn added. "The rules are simple. The person who's celebrating a birthday is going to give scores to the participants' 'present' or 'performance.' And then, the participant with the highest score earns an elegant present."

"What is this, a game?" Zakuro asked.

"And what about the people who didn't prepare a present?" Bluebell asked.

"Those who forfeit will get 0 points and the one with the lowest score will die," Reborn finished.

"No way!" Zakuro and Bluebell exclaimed.

"Since things are like that, I might as well participate," Mukuro said. "Perhaps I might be able to possess your body in the process, Vongola Princess."

"Setting that aside, Little Devil, what's up with the rules!?" Bluebell demanded. "Why come to celebrate and be killed!? BOO!"

"Those are the rules," Reborn casually replied. "It was already made on the invitation card that you guys sent out."

"You mean, you rewrote the invitation?" Kikyo pulled out one of the spare invitations that the staff made.

_You are invited to Sawada Tsuna's and Reborn the Hitman Home Tutor's_

_Joint Birthday Party._

_The party will be hosted at the Zangetsu Mansion,_

_where those who attend may stay the night._

_Toiletries and other necessities will be provided._

_Address: XXX -_

_Phone:(XXX) XXX-XXXX_

_P.S. this is a Vongolian Birthday party for Reborn, _

_so please present a present or performance_

_to participant in a contest_

_where the winner will receive an elegant prize._

"I can't believe you changed the invitation just like that…" Bluebell whined, clinging to Tsuna's arm.

"Since this year is your fourteenth birthday, you don't get to give scores, Tsuna," Reborn said.

"I don't want to play that kind of game anyways," Tsuna replied.

"It's only child's play. Let's go along with it," Takeshi said.

"Since Yamamoto brought the sushi, he receives 80 points," Reborn said. A giant scoreboard appeared with Takeshi's face next to the 80 score. "The scores will be posted on the Vongola Judge Board."

"Where did you get this…?" Kikyo asked.

"80 points isn't bad," Takeshi laughed.

"But what's with this sort of situation?" Hana asked.

"But it's kind of thrilling, isn't it?" Kyoko said.

"I extremely won't lose!" Ryohei roared.

"Haru-chan made a present," Haru said, presenting her present. "Since Reborn-chan's suit has always been black, I've made a white suit."

"Wow," Takeshi commented.

"It's target patterned," Haru added cheerfully, pulling out the slacks and blazer for Reborn and a matching adult-sized for Tsuna.

"But won't that mean they'll be targeted too easily?" Kikyo asked.

"Hahi…Now you mention it…"

"Thanks, Haru! I like these kinds of thrilling clothes," Reborn said, taking his present.

"This is the first time I've received such outrageous clothing…" Tsuna said, taking the present.

"Reborn-chan…Tsuna-san…" Haru was touched by their words, crying tears of joy.

"85 points." Haru's face appeared between the 90 and the 80 slot, slightly above Takeshi's face.

"Yay! I did it!"

"Aren't you being too easy?" Tsuna asked.

"You think?" Reborn replied.

"I'm next! To the extreme!" Ryohei shouted. He handed over two boxes towards Tsuna and Reborn.

Tsuna opened her box first. She pulled out orange boxing gloves with 27 stitched on them and matching head gear with 27 stitched on the front.

Reborn got a large jar of candy that Lambo stared at enviously.

"Boxing gloves? Thanks, Ryohei-san," Tsuna said. "I've been meaning to replace my old set from when I was a child."

"Extremely! Kyoko helped me pick out the color, and stitched in the 27," Ryohei explained as Reborn slapped Lambo away from his candy.

"Fuu, since Tsuna and I are the main characters for this party, 27 points," Reborn said.

Tsuna and the staff got the feeling that he didn't like his present as Ryohei's face appeared slightly below the 30 mark.

"Ah! Extremely uncool!" Ryohei said, pouting and Kyoko giggled.

"Hana-chan and I are next," she said as Hana handed Tsuna their present and Kyoko handed Reborn theirs.

Tsuna and Reborn found matching butler suits, though the style of suits is a bit more modern from the one Tsunayoshi would wear.

"We thought that the uniform that Tsuna-kun wore was a bit traditional and made you a more modern uniform," Kyoko explained.

"Thank you, Kyoko-chan, Hana-chan," Tsuna said.

"This is one more addition to my closet of cosplays," Reborn said.

"You have a closet of cosplays?" Zakuro asked.

"Of course I do. It's so that I get anywhere," Reborn explained. "85 points."

"I'm next," Bianchi said, standing with dough in her hands. "I'm celebrating Reborn's birthday with genuine Italian pizza tossing."

"Hey! Are you ignoring Tsuna!?" Bluebell whined.

Bianchi tossed up and spun the dough around, making it bigger and doing tricks with it, making it look like it was as wide as her shoulders.

"She's really good," Takeshi said.

"It's great," Haru commented.

"It's large," Kikyo added. Then he felt a cut on his cheek. Surprised, Kikyo touched blood on the cut.

Various objects surrounding Bianchi, which included the close audience, started to get cut up. Luckily, the ladies, excluding Bluebell and Tsuna, weren't near Bianchi's performance, so they didn't get cut up, though Hana found Bianchi's performance a little dangerous.

"That was my new technique," Bianchi said.

"I like it. 90 points," Reborn replied.

"You like the fact that it was genuine Italian pizza tossing or the fact that it started cutting up everything?" Kikyo asked sarcastically, cleaning up the sliced up tables, chairs, flowers, and other various items with the other staff members.

"Bianchi-san, you're great," Haru commented.

"Tough competition," Takeshi added.

"I'm going to bake this now," Bianchi said, heading towards the kitchen with the large dough.

"We're still going to eat that!?" Zakuro and Bluebell exclaimed.

"Gokudera-kun, she's gone now," Kikyo said to the sick boy.

The silver-haired boy came out from underneath one of the tables. "Finally! I better do mine before she comes back!"

"So Hayato's next?" Tsuna asked.

"Originally, I wanted to do a magic trick, but Head Steward heard about my performance and persuaded me to do something else," Hayato explained, heading over to the piano in the corner.

"O-ho, it's mainly because since your sister's going to do that, it's safer if you don't do anything outrageous either," Kikyo added. _'Like sister, like brother,' _he thought.

Closing his eyes, Hayato saw the song in his head and played the piano. A beautiful melody filled the ballroom and everyone was filled with a calm feeling.

"That is beautiful, Hayato," Tsuna praised, applauding with everyone when he finished.

"I agree. I would have thought you'd be out of practice. 95 points," Reborn said.

Hayato beamed. "Yes!"

"Is Tsuna next?" Reborn asked.

"Gahahahaha! The great Lambo-san is next!" Lambo cried.

"What present did you prepare?" Tsuna asked.

"Lambo-san made this yesterday!" Lambo bragged, taking out a piece of chopstick wrapped in string from his afro.

"What is that? Some substitute for a spinning stool?" Zakuro asked.

"It's a Lambo stick! You put glue on your finger first. Do this to get the strings out." Lambo demonstrated his finger twirling round and round. "Then you twirl around the chopstick and get Lambo stick."

"So what the heck is it, boo?" Bluebell asked.

"1 point," Reborn said.

"Gyup-bah!" Lambo exclaimed, so shocked that he dropped the chopstick as his face appeared near the bottom of the scoreboard.

"I despise crowding. I'll present my present and leave," Kyouya said.

"Eh? Leave? But you're more than welcome to stay with us," Tsuna said.

"We have to patrol Namimori later," the vice-president of the Disciplinary explained.

Kyouya went to the doors and opened them to the outdoors.

"What do you think Hibari's gonna do?" Takeshi asked.

"No idea…." Tsuna replied.

A little yellow feathered bird came flying into view and landed on Kyouya's outstretched finger.

"That's…!" Zakuro started.

"Isn't that…?" Tsuna added.

"That's Birds' bird," Mukuro said, very surprised. "He tamed that little bird? Not even I could."

"Hibari is ranked 6th out of 41,884 people in 'Animal Tamer,'" Fuuta explained.

"Does that include large animals, or is it just small animals?" Tsuna asked.

"Both big and small."

"Must be because he's so scary and has that 'king of the animals' aura," Zakuro said.

The little bird opened its mouth and started singing

_Midori tanabiku namimori no_

_Dai naku shou naku nami ga ii_

_Itsumo kawaranu_

_Sukoyaka kanage_

_Aah, tomo ni utaou_

_Namimori chuu_

"Isn't this the school anthem?" Takeshi asked.

"He must really love our school," Tsuna said, sweat dropping a bit.

_Asa tsuyu kagayaku namimori no_

_Heihei bonbon nami de ii_

_Itsumo kiowanu_

_Sukoyaka kenage_

_Hahaa, tomo ni waraou_

_Namimori chuu_

"Our school anthem!" the VP of the Disciplinary Committee said, crying tears of joy.

"I'm so moved!" a member of the Disciplinary Committee added, also crying tears of joy.

All the other members present also cried as the little bird on Kyouya's finger finished the anthem.

_Kimi to boku to de namimori no_

_Atarimae taru nami de ii_

_Itsumo issho ni_

_Sukoyaka kenage_

_Aah, tomo ni ayumou_

_Namimori chuu_

"That was cute," Tsuna said.

"It was good, but a bit boring. 50 points," Reborn said. And Kyouya's face appeared in the 50 slot.

"Baby, since I dislike crowding, I'll forfeit this," Kyouya said. And Kyouya's face disappeared from the 50 slot.

"Eh? But won't he die if he forfeits?" Tsuna asked.

"It's all part of the game," Reborn said.

"Go patrol Namimori," Kyouya ordered his Committee members. "I'm going to sleep. Where's my room?"

"Your room is where you previously slept a couple nights ago. Would you like me to accompany you?" Kikyo said.

"No need."

"He said he dislikes crowding, but he'll sleep here anyways?" Zakuro asked.

"Well, if things are free, might as well take advantage of it, I guess," Tsuna said.

"That's not nice," Bluebell whined.

"Okay. So who's going to present their present next?" Reborn asked.

"Umm…."

"Ara. I-pin-chan, what's wrong?" Nana asked.

Tsuna looked over and saw her mom worrying about a love-struck I-pin with 5 pins to go.

"Kikyo, open the window!" Tsuna exclaimed, rushing over to the little lovesick girl.

"Yes!" Kikyo ran to the nearest window and opened it.

"What's going on?" Kyoko asked.

"Seems like I-pin's next," Zakuro covered up, as the girls, and possibly Nana, don't know that I-pin's a human bomb.

Tsuna took the I-pin that's struck on her mother and threw her out the open window, which was looking out the back garden. Soon, everyone heard a loud BOOM.

"What just happened?" Daisy asked.

"I think I-pin redecorated the gardens," Tsuna said.

"Oh…no…." Daisy whined.

"Really? Let's see," Kyoko said as Daisy and Tsuna zoomed out the door.

"But there was that loud explosion…" Hana started.

"That's part of I-pin-chan's performance, right?" Haru said. "So let's go see."

The group crowded around the window and saw a green garden, with blossoming pink trees, with red Chinese tags and white fortunes tied to tree branches.

"Wow! I-pin-chan really redecorated the garden!" Kyoko exclaimed.

"It's much more calmer than the dark garden we saw earlier," Hana said.

"It's so incredible how I-pin-chan is able to redecorate them so quickly," Haru complimented.

"Did she do all this while we weren't looking?" Takeshi asked.

"But she was with us during the entire performance," Hana said.

"Fuu, 95 points for I-pin," Reborn said. I-pin's face appeared slightly above Bianchi's face, between the 100 and the 90 slot.

"Even though the ones who redecorated the garden was you two," he muttered, as he looked at the panting Daisy and Tsuna who had came back just one second after the group looked out the window.

"It's better than people being confused on why there's a massive crater in the middle of the garden," the panting Tsuna explained.

"True. So who's next?" Reborn asked.

"I'll go next~!" Fuuta said. "I did a ranking of what you two would like the most."

Reborn got cans of his favorite coffee beans. Tsuna received a beautiful black kimono with red linings.

"It's beautiful…" Tsuna said, sparkling with joy. "I love it…"

"Good. I can drink my favorite espresso everyday now," Reborn said. "Here, Zakuro. Make me a cup now."

"This isn't a coffee house, kid," Zakuro replied, but took one of the cans of coffee beans anyway.

"Is anyone next?" Reborn asked.

"I'll go next," Mukuro said.

"And us," Zakuro said as the staff surrounded Mukuro.

"What?"

"Remember what I asked you while you were helping me?" Zakuro asked.

"You asked me something?"

"I guess you were being too shy and didn't hear."

"I was not being shy!"

"Doesn't matter. You're helping us," Daisy said, dragging the guest over to the space for a stereo.

"Anyways, help us with this," Kikyo said. He whispered instructions in Mukuro's ear.

Mukuro raised his eyebrow at the instructions. "So basically only I could do this as none of you could?"

"Well, we could've asked Torikabuto, but he's with Zangetsu, so…"

"I understand. Since this way, I can be closer to the Vongola Princess."

"That sounded so wrong on many different levels," Bluebell said.

"That's true," Zakuro agreed.

"Shut up, both of you!"

"Hurry up!" Reborn called out.

"We're on it," Kikyo said. He snapped his fingers and the lights turned off, leaving everything in darkness.

"Hahi! What's happening?" Haru exclaimed.

"Is this part of the performance?" Kyoko wondered.

"But everyone's here, right? So who turned off the lights?" Hana asked.

"Jyuudaime is here, right!?" Hayato cried.

"I'm here," Tsuna said, reaching to light a candle. Since the mansion was somewhat old-fashioned, the electricity sometimes go out. As a result, Tsuna always carries a candle with her.

"My pizza is finished," Bianchi said, coming into the ballroom. When she walked through the door, the group inside saw her wearing a tattered wedding gown, half of her face was the same, the other half was rotted, skin peeling off around the mouth, showing teeth, maggots near her eye. Her pizza was poisoned, as per usual.

"AHHHH! IT'S THE CORPSE BRIDE!" the group, but the Sawada ladies and Reborn, screamed. Hayato fainted as soon as he saw his sister.

"Who's the corpse bride?" asked the corpse, bride-like Bianchi.

"Wait. Everyone's all monster-fied," Tsuna said, noticing that everyone has changed.

The fainted Hayato became a werecat. Ryohei grew to 8 feet tall and had two knobs at the sides of his neck and has stitches, like Frankenstein. Lambo was floating on a cloud and he has a ring of drums, showing a tomoe on the drumhead, on his back, like the god of thunder and storms. Reborn was wearing a Grimm Reaper outfit with a Leon scythe. Kyoko and Haru wore witch outfits. Takeshi became a zombie baseball player. I-pin became a Jiang Shi, a Chinese "hopping" vampire/zombie. Fuuta was a mini werewolf. Hana became a ghost, having walked through the table. Nana was wearing a white kimono, as though she was the snow maiden.

"Hahi! Tsuna-san, is that really you!?" the witch Haru exclaimed, looking shocked at Tsuna's appearance.

Tsuna lifted up a knife; the silver will act as a blurry mirror. In the reflection, Tsuna saw that she was wearing the left side of her skull mask. Her skull mask consisted of a skull face with red lines going down the left side. Whenever she moved her mouth, her skull mask moved with her.

"Oh. I guess this would be a bit scary when you're watching my face like this," Tsuna said.

"BOO!" A mermaid Bluebell took Tsuna away and into the dance floor. "Come on! It's a dance show!"

Kikyo put in the Halloween music mix that was prepared for such a party.

When the music started, Tsuna stood in the center as the staff surrounded her.

_Walkin down the darkened hallway_

_Everyone turns to look at you_

_It's not because you're different_

_It's just because you're so scary cool_

_A sinister style, mystery with a smile_

_You're drop dead gorgeous_

_Drop dead gorgeous_

_This school gives me the creeps_

_But when I'm with my peeps_

_You can't ignore us_

_This is where the ghoul kids rule_

As Tsuna danced to the sound of the music, the staff danced around her, close, but not close enough to touch.

_Oh, Freaky just got fabulous_

_Everyone wants a piece of you_

_It starts by smilin'_

_Let's be realistic_

_Most characteristic_

_Most hip and horrific_

_A sinister style, _

_mystery with a smile_

_You're drop dead gorgeous_

_Drop dead gorgeous_

_This school gives me the creeps_

_But when I'm with my peeps_

_You can't ignore us_

_This is where the ghoul kids rule_

Back at center, Tsuna danced with the staff in sync.

_Gonna paint it red_

_Get inside your head, head, head_

_Like a demon choir_

_playing with fire, fire, fire_

_Gonna get your body shaken'_

_wishing' you could just awake_

_Tonight all the monsters gonna dance_

_we're comin' to get'cha_

_Tonight all the monster gonna dance_

_We're com in' to get'cha_

_If you're only dreaming_

_Why I hear you screaming_

_Tonight all the monsters gonna dance_

_We're coming to get'cha_

_we're comin' to get'cha_

After the mash-up dance show of "Monster High Fright Song/Calling all the Monsters", everyone applauded.

"That was wonderful," the snow woman Nana said.

"Not bad at all, it's exceeded my expectations," Reborn said. "100 points."

Haru exclaimed with curiosity, "But how did this happen?" gesturing to all the dark and sinister atmosphere of the ball and everyone's getup.

"It was like a magic show!" Kyoko added. "It's so incredible!"

"Yeah, real incredible," Hana said with sarcasm.

"Because it's all an illusion," Mukuro said, appearing next to Tsuna, tilting her chin to expose her neck. Mukuro was decked out in vampire garb, white button-up with red ridden bow tie and black slacks and fangs in his mouth, though his hair style is still the same pineapple-style. "So that I can possess you, Vongola Princess." Mukuro made a play of biting his fangs into Tsuna's neck.

"Don't you dare go near Jyuudaime!" Hayato exclaimed, taking out all the dynamite he has to throw at the vampire.

"Ho~ you really are into Tsuna," Zakuro said, stopping Hayato from lighting any dynamite. Zakuro was a reptile man with reptile legs, dark red scaly skin, reptile claws for hands, and reptile eyes.

"Since that's the case, shouldn't you introduce yourself to the mother now?" Kikyo said, taking the vampire Mukuro to the ice maiden Nana. Kikyo is a flower fairy. Vines with little buds of the Chinese bellflower flowed down with his hair, and a large bloom of the flower at the knot where he tied his hair back. He wore a sparkling jumpsuit with long bell-shaped sleeves, white to blue as it goes down until the blue was as dark as the bellflower, and dark blue boots just below his knees.

"I never said I was interested in Vongola Princess like that!" Mukuro exclaimed.

"But you were all over her, BOO!" Bluebell said, clinging to Tsuna's side. Mermaid Bluebell was a light blue mermaid, her lower half connecting to her body with her long hair hiding her naked upper half.

"Plus the biting of her neck could also mean that you were trying to give her a hickey," Daisy added. He was dressed like a mental escaped patient, blood splattered all over him with a straight jacket for mental patients and loose black pants. His doll, however, was stitched up in the places where it was torn, similar to a revived dead body with stitches.

"That's because-!" Mukuro started, but someone interrupted him. "Ara, are you 'Little Devil'?"

Mukuro turned his head and met face-to-face with the woman dressed as the Yukionna.

"I am Tsu-chan's mother, Nana. Call me Maman," the Yukionna said with a kind, sunny smile that was not befitting her costume.

"I am Rokudo Mukuro," Mukuro replied.

"I was somewhat surprised when I first saw you, Little Devil-kun," Nana confessed. "Tsu-chan often told me that you were rather mischievous and naughty, so I thought you were a child, like Lambo-kun and I-pin-chan."

Mukuro was a bit peeved that he was thought of that way by Tsuna. "Oh, really?"

"You know, with Little Devil's group getting 100 points, does that mean they win?" Haru wondered out loud.

"That's true…" Kyoko agreed.

"Is there anyone who hasn't given their gift yet?" Hana asked.

"Ara! I nearly forgot!" Nana exclaimed. Nana rushed over to her table and got out two boxes.

"Here you are! Tsu-chan! Reborn-kun! These are from Papa and me!"

Tsuna opened her box to find another kimono. It was bright orange with stargazer lilies painted on the sleeves and dress below the obi. The obi was black with a white cord. The biggest thing Tsuna notices is that it's actually silk. Reborn opened his smaller box, a small, cotton, dark blue yutaka with a floral pattern sewn in.

"Fnn, thank you," Reborn said, liking it and knowing Nana probably got it for him on her own, since he knew Iemitsu wouldn't buy him anything.

"I love it, Mom! Thank you, and I'm so glad Iemitsu got me a gift..." Tsuna said and Nana smiled.

"Of course, your daddy insisted on it. And Tsu-chan…" As the mother stepped closer to her daughter, Kikyo once again whispered instructions into Mukuro's ear. Though curious, Mukuro used his illusions to change the outfits on the Sawada ladies. Now the mother and daughter are wearing shihakusho, black kimonos over white undergarments.

Nana hugged her daughter. "Thank you for being here…"

"I know, Mom…." Tsuna replied, hugging her mother back.

"Happy birthday," Nana said as snowflakes came down.

"This is so touching…" Haru said, barely on tears.

"They have such a close relationship," Kyoko commented.

Reborn stared at the pair. _"Tried. Mom ended up sending me away to some close friend of hers because she didn't want me to see the shameful side of her yearning for her husband's presence."_

_'If that's true, then why didn't Iemitsu say anything about it? Why wasn't the Vongola aware of this?'_

"O-ho, the winner of this Vongolian Birthday Party for Reborn is us, the staff, Tsuna, and Little Devil," Kikyo said. "And the loser is Hibari-kun. What should we do?"

"Wait! You mean, this pineapple guy is also a winner too!?" Hayato exclaimed.

"Duh! He helped monster-fy everyone," Zakuro said, lazily sleeping on one of the tables.

"Then that means…" Hayato, in his mind's vision, turned around to see Mukuro getting closer to Tsuna. Mukuro found himself being pushed closer to the mother-daughter pair by Zakuro and Kikyo. Then Kikyo took Tsuna, with a clinging Bluebell on her arm, to the dance floor.

"O-ho, let's not forget, this is still a party. As such, let's dance…" Kikyo said, as a new party mix echoed about the ballroom.

"Awesome!" Tsuna started dancing to the beat as Bluebell danced beside her.

"Let's go dance, too, Hana," Kyoko said.

"Oh, sure," Hana replied.

Then everyone made their way to the dance floor, dancing to the best of their abilities, though none of them were as good as the staff or Tsuna herself. Bianchi was dancing with Reborn in her arms. Hayato was held back by Zakuro from entering the dance floor while being in a one-sided argument with Takeshi and Ryohei, calling the latter 'turf head' and the former 'baseball idiot.' The kids danced together with the girls, though Hana was taken away by Kikyo before she could get any hives from the kids. Daisy was staring intently at one of the cute, lovely cakes Zakuro had made for dessert. Mukuro found himself standing awkwardly next to Nana.

"Little Devil-kun, how do you like this place?" Nana asked.

"It's…better than my old place…" Mukuro said. It was true; the mansion is better than the prison Ken and Chikusa accidental got themselves into.

"That's nice. How soon do you plan on confessing to Tsu-chan?"

"What!?" Mukuro's face blushed beet red.

"Oh, don't be shy. Even though she's been monster-vied, you still haven't taken your eyes off of my daughter. It's so cute!"

Mukuro stared at the mother of Vongola Princess. _'Shouldn't she be scolding me of how I shouldn't be looking at her? And wait! Why in the world would she think that I was looking at her in that way!'_

_**an hour before Midnight**_

"Now that this is the end of the party, we shall kill Hibari for forfeitting the Vongolian Birthday Party," Reborn said, holding up a gun.

Mukuro had de-monster-died everyone, so everyone's back in civilian clothes.

"Kill that Disciplinary president, I doubt any of us can do it. No offense, home tutor," Zakuro said.

"No taken," Reborn said, shooting a bullet at Zakuro's direction.

_'No, he really does take offense,'_ the staff thought.

"O-ho, where's Tsuna?" Kikyo asked.

Looking around, Tsuna wasn't in the ballroom.

"Where is she!?" Bluebell and Hayato exclaimed. "Did she get kidnapped!? Murdered!?"

"Hey you were the one clinging to her. Shouldn't you know where she is?" Zakuro snapped at Bluebell.

"I let go of her when we started dancing!" Bluebell replied.

"Perhaps, she's in the garden?" Daisy asked.

Unknown to everyone, Tsuna had snuck out to the garden to get some fresh air. One of the ballroom windows was open to allow air to get in and music to get out.

The little butler made a circle around the garden. When she got back, she was surprised to see her master.

"Master Zangetsu, you're back. You should've made a call," Tsunayoshi said, getting into the butler persona.

"Tsunahime…" Zangetsu called out, forcing Tsuna to get back into her student mode.

Zangetsu held out his hand. "May I take this dance?"

Tsuna noticed that the music from the ballroom was changed into music for a slow dance. "Yes. I would love to."

Tsuna took Zangetsu's hand, and the master took his self-proclaimed butler into his arms and danced with her.

Tsuna smiled, closing her eyes, cradled in the arms of her beloved as he danced with her in the wee hours of her birthday.

* * *

><p>And here's the end of the chapter. So sorry for the late, late update. I'll try my best to get started on the next chapter. Considering it's college, and that I've flunked a class, it'll be hard T^T<p>

And I've reread everything in this chapter to get rid of grammatical errors, so everything is all correct. Yes, Tsuna considers Old Man Zangetsu as her beloved. That will be a question that won't be answered for a long, long time.


	13. Butler and Malfunctioned Death

_BAM! _

Tsuna woke from the sounds. "What was that?" She asked as she sat up. After the party was over, the staff led the girls and children to the guestrooms while the boys and the staff moved to the living room in the West Wing. It was a sleepover, after all.

"It sounds like Lambo woke up and decided to fire a gun, Boo~" Bluebell sleepily mumbled, curling deeper in Tsuna's left arm.

"Fire a gun?" Tsuna repeated.

"That stupid cow!" Hayato exclaimed with bags under his eyes, crawling out of his red sleeping bag. "I'll go shut that stupid cow up!"

"O-ho, but isn't Lambo more of the type to fire his sci-fi bazooka?" Kikyo sat up, wiping away Sandman's sand, his bed hair going in odd directions.

"And your bed head still amazes me after all this time," Tsuna commented, untangling herself from Bluebell and Daisy, who was sleeping on her other side.

"WOW! It's looking like someone electrocuted you!" Zakuro exclaimed, looking way too chip for someone who woke up early in the morning, holding up a mirror for Kikyo to see.

"Oh, dear," Kikyo tried to tame his bedhead, but that's not possible without some hairspray that's all the way in the servants' quarters.

"I'm surprised these guys could sleep through that," Tsuna commented. Bluebell, Ryohei, Takeshi and Daisy were still asleep, though Daisy was trying hard not to wake up, thanks to the noise.

"Extreme~!" went Ryohei's sleep talk.

"Another home-run..." mumbled Takeshi.

"O-ho, they should be, after all. We didn't get to sleep until well after midnight and it's only six in the morning," Kikyo said, his bed head a bit tamer but still wild, looking like someone took some hair gel and randomly brushed his hair in odd directions.

"You guys sure seem relaxed, despite talking above a dead man," Reborn commented from above in his make-shift hammock.

"Dead man?" Tsuna looked around and saw an unknown man in the midst of the sleeping group. "Who's he?"

"Doesn't look like he's someone we know," Daisy mumbled, rubbing the sandman's sand from his eyes, clutching his doll.

"He looks more like a bum to me," Zakuro commented, somehow angry.

"Why are you so angry?" Tsuna asked.

"Because he seems too well-fed for a bum," Zakuro explained.

"O-ho, that's true. He doesn't look starved either," Kikyo added.

"He doesn't stink either," Daisy added, sniffing at the supposedly dead man's clothes.

"But how did he get in here?" Bluebell asked, clinging to Tsuna's arm, seemingly awake with black circles under her eyes.

"More importantly, how'd he die?" Tsuna asked.

"He was shot," Daisy explained, lifting the man to show his chest. The dead man's chest showed a gunshot wound.

"Then who shot him?" Tsuna asked, looking up to stare at Reborn as well as the rest of the staff.

"It wasn't me. Tsuna's the one holding the gun," Reborn replied.

"Huh?" Everyone looked and saw that a gun was in Tsuna's right hand.

"Impossible, she/I must be framed," Everyone said, brushing it off.

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

"Now what?"

"WAH! What happened!?" Takeshi exclaimed, sitting up.

"EXTREME~!" Ryohei shouted.

"Oh, now you wake up," Zakuro said sarcastically.

"_Shut up, Stupid cow!"_ echoed Hayato's voice from upstairs.

"_Hahi! Gokudera-san! You shouldn't do that to kids!"_ Haru exclaimed.

"_But good riddance. At least one kid's gone,"_ Hana said.

"_Is Lambo-kun alright?"_ Kyoko asked.

"They sure are loud," Zakuro said, somehow depressed.

"Why are you so depressed?" Kikyo asked.

"Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko exclaimed as she came into the room.

As soon as Kyoko came in, Kikyo, Zakuro, and Daisy took the corpse and ran off to the servants' quarters. After all, they can't have their guests see such a corpse.

"What happened?" Kyoko asked.

"Hahi! They ran by so fast!" Haru exclaimed.

"Why'd they leave the room so quickly?" Hana asked.

"Since everyone woke up, it's time for breakfast," Tsuna explained. "We mustn't keep everyone waiting."

"Oh, you don't have to do that. We can make breakfast," Kyoko said.

"Even so, you are still guests. We can't have you make your own breakfast when the cook is still here."

"Jyuudaime! The stupid cow!" Hayato exclaimed, coming into the room, dragging Lambo by his afro.

"Stupidera is bullying me!" Lambo cried. Or, at least it seemed like Lambo. This Lambo was teenager Lambo, dressed in child Lambo's footsie.

"When I was shutting him up, he brought out the bazooka, crashed into a wall, pulled the trigger, and the result became this," Hayato explained.

"So the bazooka malfunctioned..." Tsuna commented.

"Bringing teenager Lambo's body, but left child Lambo's mind, and vice versa, Boo~" Bluebell added.

"He looks so dreamy," Hana commented.

"What?"

"As expected from a mature man. He's cool, like a razor, but he hasn't forgotten how to be playful," answered Hana.

"That's how you take it?" said Tsuna in disbelief.

"Tuna! I want breakfast!" child Lambo in teenager Lambo said.

"It's Tsuna! Not Tuna, Stupid Cow," Hayato exclaimed, hitting the cow footsie person on the head.

"Hey, don't hit him on the head!" Hana said, shielding the crying child Lambo from Hayato.

"He mispronounced Jyuudaime's name!"

"It's just a nickname! He didn't mispronounce it on purpose!"

"Pardon me for interrupting," Tsuna said, seen coming into the room, wearing his butler uniform.

"Eh? Tsuna, when did you leave the room?" Takeshi asked. "And when did you change clothes?"

"I just left to check up on the kitchen. The chef, Zakuro, said that breakfast is ready," Tsuna replied. "Now let's go to the dining hall."

_**Kitchen**_

"How are things?" Zakuro asked, head lying on the table, looking bored.

"Everyone just went to breakfast with the exception of Little Devil," Tsuna replied.

"O-ho, Little Devil is busy dressing up in all the cosplays that Miss Miura brought by the other day," Kikyo said. "I think he's rather embarrassed to see your mother after last night, Tsuna."

"Eh? A talk with a woman old enough to be his mother embarrasses him?"

"No, it's the part where he gets mistaken for being one of your suitor's," Zakuro said, restless.

"What are you so restless about?" Tsuna asked.

"He's restless about the dead body from this morning," Daisy explained.

"None of us have killed him," Kikyo reported. "His murder is nothing like our killing signatures. The only one who's killing signature it resembles is Reborn. However, he denies committing the crime."

"Also, the corpse is kinda fishy. It's really strange," Daisy added.

"Strange?"

"I can't tell which parts of the corpse is strange, but I can tell you that it's not an average killed-by-a-gunshot corpse."

"I understand. If you still can't figure out his death, send the body over to Undertaker," Tsuna ordered. "Perhaps he'll know."

"Understood."

"Perhaps, you'll permit me to take a look at the corpse?" Mukuro asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Little Devil, morning. Nice outfit," Zakuro said.

Mukuro was wearing, as Tsuna remembered, Karakura Middle's uniform. He's wearing the black military-style jacket with his usual mist-like shirt underneath.

"Boo. It doesn't look any different from your Kokuyo Middle uniform," Bluebell commented.

"Such children can't understand the art of fashion, kufufufu," Mukuro replied.

"But why don't you just use your illusions to create the outfit and not have Miss Miura go through all that trouble of gathering all the school uniforms?" Kikyo asked.

Mukuro froze as he was humiliated about the fact that he forgot about his abilities.

"Let's just pretend that Kikyo didn't say that," Tsunayoshi said. "Come. We must have you and Hibari-san have your breakfast. You can look at the corpse later."

"Hibari?"

"Tsuna's Disciplinary Committee leader. He also came down late. You guys will be eating your breakfast on the other side of table where the kids won't disturb you," Zakuro explained.

"Ah, yes. That one who escorted Ranking Prince with Poison Scorpio Bianchi," Mukuro clarified. "Why must I eat breakfast with him?"

"Well, you must be bored with nothing to do while stuck here, so I thought if Hibari-san knows of your fighting prowess, then he might come visit you."

"He is very fight-crazy," Zakuro commented.

"He probably likes the high that comes with fighting," Daisy added.

"I'd rather eat alone," Hibari said, coming into the kitchen. "I despise crowding," he added, as if that explained everything.

"But the dining room is huge, Boo!" Bluebell argued.

Then the door connecting the dining room to the kitchen burst open, in coming malfunctioned Lambo with Hayato on his tail.

"Nya-nya-nya-nyah, Stupidera can't catch me!" malfunctioned Lambo bragged.

"Who said I can't catch you, Stupid Cow!" Hayato roared.

"Extreme game of tag!" Ryohei yelled, following the two.

"Hey! Wait up!" Takeshi added, coming up on the rear.

"What is with everyone coming into the kitchen!" Zakuro exclaimed, getting angry. "Guests are not allowed in the kitchen unless there is no use for the big table in the dining room!"

He grabbed the scuff of malfunctioned Lambo's and Hayato's collars and threw them back into the dining room. Zakuro did the same with the sports idiots. Then he turned on Mukuro and Hibari.

"Go eat breakfast already!" he exclaimed as he kicked the last two out.

"Zakuro!" Tsunayoshi said sharply.

Like a kid who got caught with a hand in the cookie jar, Zakuro slowly turned to face the head butler who's face resembled a demon.

"That is not the way we treat our guests, however in the wrong they were," Tsunayoshi began as Zakuro quivered under the demon glare.

_**Dining room**_

"Ha-ha! Stupidera got kicked out of the kitchen!" malfunctioned Lambo laughed.

"You got kicked out of the kitchen too, Stupid cow!" Hayato yelled.

"I guess the kitchen is out of bounds, haha!" Takeshi laughed.

"Is our extreme game of tag over?" Ryohei asked.

"Are you alright, Mukuro-kun?" Nana asked the Little Devil. "Zakuro-san kicked you out quite harshly."

"I-I'm alright, Ma'am," Mukuro said, going to his seat at the end of the table.

"O-ho, you really are shy," Kikyo teased as he set Mukuro's breakfast (cheese omelet and chocolate pancakes).

"I am _not_ shy!" Mukuro emphasized.

"Say that again without stuttering in front of Maman, boo!" Bluebell dared as she poured Mukuro some coffee.

"Alright now, let's finish our breakfast, boys," Nana said to the three teenagers and one child-stuck-in-a-teenager's-body.

"She makes a very nice mother-in-law, don't you think, Little Devil?" Kikyo asked.

"Shut up!" Mukuro said.

"Hey, Kikyo, where's the demon president of that disciplinary committee?" Bluebell asked.

"He's up on the roof, eating riceballs," Daisy explained from outside an open window.

"BOO! I thought you were in the kitchen, Daisy!" Bluebell exclaimed.

"I escaped to the gardens before Tsuna started scolding Zakuro," he explained, "and to find where the corpse went. I'm pretty sure we put him next to the door back in the kitchen, but it's not there. I also asked Hibari to keep an eye out while he's up there."

"But corpses don't move, boo," Bluebell said.

"So that's why you said there was something fishy about the corpse," Kikyo added.

"Perhaps I would've alerted you about that fishy corpse, had you let me look at it in the first place," Mukuro pointed out.

"You weren't complaining about eating breakfast, boo!" Bluebell argued.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Extreme!" Ryohei yelled as Hayato's dynamites and malfunctioned Lambo's grenades destroyed the wall, nearly burying Kikyo, Bluebell, and Mukuro in the debris. Daisy escaped the collapse.

"Hey, you guys okay?" Takeshi asked as Kikyo, Bluebell, and Mukuro brushed off the dust and smaller blocks of concrete.

"O-ho, we're fine," Kikyo replied. "I don't believe Gokudera-kun and Lambo-kun are, though," he added, gesturing to the smiling demon-like Tsunayoshi behind the two bombers.

"I don't believe I've said this house's policy on bombs, did I? Well, my mistake. Kikyo and Bluebell, direct our guests into the living room. We'll resume breakfast there. Daisy, Zakuro will help you look for our missing guest," Tsunayoshi directed.

"As for you two..." Tsunayoshi glared at Hayato and malfunctioned Lambo, who shivered under his stare. Tsunayoshi's smile couldn't be any more scary.

"Come, ladies and gentlemen," Kikyo said. "O-ho, breakfast is interrupted, but it can be resumed in the living room. Let us go."

"It'll probably be more comfortable, not being all uptight in the glamorous dining room, boo," Bluebell added as she lead the still bomb-shocked guests away.

Mukuro looked around for Daisy, who seemed to have disappeared when the wall got blasted.

"Little Devil, let us go into the living room," Kikyo said.

"I don't feel like having breakfast at the moment. I'll finish my breakfast in my room later," Mukuro replied.

"All right. Just ring the bell when you're ready."

Mukuro nodded in response. He climbed over the debris and went out into the gardens, intent on looking for the missing corpse.

Hayato and malfunctioned Lambo kept their eyes on the teenage butler, as if they looked away, they'll get sucked away into the depths of hell.

"You two shall clean up the dining room. It better be clean before the master comes home," Tsunayoshi said. "If it isn't clean by then, Hayato, you will be barred from this mansion, and Lambo-kun..."

Tsuna went quiet for a bit to raise the suspense in Lambo's already rapidly beating heart. "No candy for a month."

"Barred from the mansion!?" "No candy!" Hayato and malfunctioned Lambo exclaimed, looking as though the world's coming to an end.

"The master will be home at noon. I suggest you get started right away," Tsunayoshi said as he left the two bombers to their devices.

"Was that a wise decision?" Kikyo asked after the teenage butler closed the door behind him.

"No. But it'll probably teach them not to be so rough in someone else's home, hopefully," Tsunayoshi replied. "If not, then I will have no choice but to put them through what they call hell."

"O-ho, I meant, Hayato is self-employed at the mansion, and Lambo is considered as a guest," Kikyo added. "And we're not supposed to treat guests like they're workers..."

"Yes, but in 10 years or so, Lambo will be working here, so what's wrong with a little early working experience."

"BOO!" Bluebell exclaimed, dragging the dining cart with her as she ran towards the two. She came to a stop in front of the footman and butler, and lifted the cloth."This corpse is really weird! He was leaning against the bookshelves in the living room! I managed to stuff him under the dining cart while Zakuro was handing out breakfast, so nobody saw him."

"Bluebell, there's nothing under the cart..." Tsuna said.

"Boo?" Bluebell looked under the cart, and indeed there was nothing.

"Where did that corpse go!? I know I stuffed it under the cart!" Bluebell shouted, panicking.

"But that's very strange. We clearly left the corpse just outside of the kitchen door to the gardens. It disappeared when Daisy went out and nobody appears to have moved it, yet it was in the living room, and now it's missing."

"We'll have to search for it again, o-ho," Kikyo said.

"And this time, make sure that the corpse _is_ a corpse," Tsuna ordered.

"Yes!" Bluebell and Kikyo went their ways. Tsunayoshi, however, looked out the window. She saw a shadow amongst the bushes; the shadow was too big for Daisy's and there was no way that Hibari, the only other person outside, would go into the bushes. Tsunayoshi stared as the shadow moved and blended into the bushes, and she smiled in a mysterious way.

"We must have everyone go home. It'll do us no good if the guests don't go home when the master comes home," Tsuna commented to herself.

_**The Living Room**_

"Breakfast was so delicious," Haru said.

"The food made by the chef of this mansion is ranked among the top 30 of 'Best Gourmet chefs in Japan'," Fuuta explained.

"He's so dreamy..." Hana said, staring at the malfunctioned Lambo who's lying on his back with a full stomach.

"So full..." he murmured. "Maman, carry me!"

"Ara, who is this?" Nana said.

"He is so weird," Haru commented.

"Eh? Where did he come from? I thought he was cleaning up the dining room with Gokudera," Takeshi said.

"He's just a stupid cow," Reborn explained, hanging above the door.

"Reborn! Die!" malfunctioned Lambo said, throwing grenades from his afro at the baby hitman.

Reborn dodged, which couldn't be said the same for Hayato, who just walked into the room, yelling, "Stupid cow!"

Just before the grenades exploded in Hayato's face, a baseball bat knocked them out of the room, and breaking the windows in the process, causing a loud explosion, waking Kyouya from his nap in the process.

"Lambo..." the person who used the bat called out, revealing to be Tsuna. "Didn't I say that you have to help clean up the dining room? Instead you've left Hayato all the work. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Malfunctioned Lambo couldn't move, shivering under the cold, hard glare of the young butler.

"No candy for a month," Tsuna said, handing the bat to Takeshi.

Tsuna grabbed malfunctioned Lambo's afro, and pulled his face close. "And if you dare destroy this mansion again, no candy for a year, understood?"

Malfunctioned Lambo nodded his head furiously.

"Hey, that's no fair," Hana said in his stead. "So what if he didn't help out? It's not like the world will end if he doesn't."

"That may be so, but the world will be in trouble if he doesn't learn some manners," Tsunayoshi replied. "You always say that I act like a host. So perhaps if this Lambo has learnt some manners, he'll be able to act like a host."

Hana imagined teenage Lambo as a host. "That would be dreamy~..."

"Hahi! It's already so late!" Haru exclaimed, looking at the grandfather clock, which showed the time that was close to the afternoon. "Haru has to go home and start on the project for the culture festival! If Haru doesn't start now, Haru will never finish!"

"Our school culture festival is coming too," Kyoko said. "Hana-chan, why don't we go home and start thinking up ideas?"

"Eh? I want to stay here, though," Hana replied.

"Please, do go home," Tsunayoshi said. "Not that we are in a hurry to urge you to leave. It's just that brainstorming ideas may take a while. Furthermore, our class is the unruly type, so it'll take a longer while to come up with an idea that'll satisfy everyone."

"Well, since you put it that way..."

"Extreme training exercise!" Ryohei shouted. "If I don't get started on my weekend training, I, as the boxing club president, will set an extremely bad example for my club members!"

"I'd better get started on my weekend training too," Takeshi added.

"Fuuta-kun, there's supposed to be a weekend sale in the shopping district. Why don't we go?" Nana asked the little prince.

"That's a good idea, Maman," Fuuta said.

I-pin chirped an agreement.

"I want to buy something, too," Bianchi said.

"Lambo-san wants to go, too!"

"Then everyone, please be careful on your way home," Tsunayoshi waved everyone good bye as he held a whining malfunctioned Lambo behind.

"You, little mister, need to stay behind until the malfunction wears off. You'll be a bother to Maman and the others if you go home in this state."

Tsunayoshi rummaged around malfunctioned Lambo's afro. "I know that I've sent Daisy and Zakuro on the hunt for the corpse, but that shadow I saw among the bushes earlier worries me. So, I'll be taking these." Tsunayoshi found a couple of grenades.

"But if I act on my worries, it'll mean that I don't trust Daisy and Zakuro, so instead I'll wait until they really need my help." Tsuna put away the grenades. Then, Tsuna proceeded to drag malfunctioned Lambo into the mansion.

"Now, let's see what can keep you busy until the malfunction wears off..."

Tsuna spotted the third greenhouse. The third greenhouse was reserved for poisonous plants and the like. Remembering a certain plant that Ol' Hat-and-Clogs had gifted her on her birthday some years ago, Tsuna dragged the whining malfunctioned Lambo inside.

"Now let's see. Where did I place that plant?" Tsuna muttered to herself as she walked through the greenhouse whilst dragging the cow.

Spotting something in the far back, "Ah! Found it."

Tsuna brought malfunctioned Lambo before a strange plant. Shaped like a sunflower, petals grew along the rim of the flower head that resembled a ferocious lion's face. It has two large leaves that resemble a cat's paws from the stem in the rooted soil of a pot.

"Play with this plant until you turn back to normal," Tsuna ordered and left malfunctioned Lambo alone with the cat-like plant.

"Wait! Tuna! GAAHHHH!" When malfunctioned Lambo tried to grab Tsuna, the cat-like flower stretched its paw-like leaves and lunged its entire body towards him. Before the child-stuck-in-a-teenager's-body could even blink, he was batted to the ground by the odd plant, the way a cat would bat away a cattail.

Malfunctioned Lambo stood back up and glared at the plant. "Lambo-san will never forgive you! Take this! Huh?"

The cow-printed pajama kid reached into his afro and threw...a lollipop at the cat plant. The cat plant batted it right back at malfunctioned Lambo, hitting him in the forehead.

"How dare you! Take this! And this! And this and this!" malfunctioned Lambo then ended up throwing everything in his afro at the cat plant, which included various types of candy, little toys, etc. In return, the cat-like plant lunged around, batting away all the things.

_**Zakuro and Daisy**_

"Any sign of the corpse?" Zakuro asked Daisy, searching in the West wing of the mansion.

"Nope. I don't see anything out of the ordinary," Daisy replied.

"Nothing on my end either," Zakuro said. "This is bad. If we don't find the corpse soon, it'll stink up the mansion."

"There you are," Kikyo called out, coming into the hallway. "Have you found the corpse yet?"

"No trace at all."

"This is bad. The master will be back in thirty minutes," Kikyo said, looking at his wristwatch.

"If we don't find the corpse and send it over to Undertaker, we might have the police on our tails, Boo!" Bluebell exclaimed, leaning in from the open window.

"But the corpse's a bum. I don't think the police would be too concerned about it," Zakuro commented.

"Oh, the police are either incompetent people or they're overworked," Tsunayoshi commented, coming onto the scene over Bluebell's shoulder. The teenage butler was holding another cat-like potted plant and dragging the corpse by its leg. The corpse seemed like it had a run in with a vicious cat.

"You found the corpse!" Zakuro exclaimed.

"And you used the cat-plant to find the corpse," Daisy added. "Are cats people finders?"

"No. I put this plant in the bushes near the gates a little bit after the guests moved to the living room. And as I thought, this corpse was found near the cat when I went back to check on it," Tsunayoshi explained.

"How is it that there is a moving corpse? Boo!" Bluebell asked.

"Because this is no corpse," Mukuro explained, taking place next to Kikyo. "I heard in the Vongola Family that there is a man who can stop his beating heart and literally act as a corpse."

"I see...Then to make sure that this is just a corpse..." Tsunayoshi took out the dynamite he took from malfunctioned Lambo, lit it and placed it on the corpse's chest.

A black shadow flew over the corpse's chest and the dynamite disappeared. "Hey. No need to go that far," a high voice commented from the roof.

The staff and guest looked up and saw Reborn holding the dynamite Tsunayoshi just lit. Reborn put the wick out.

"It's fine, if you want to make sure, but isn't it better if you shot him again?" Reborn asked, holding out the same gun that was in Tsuna's hand early that day.

"Nope. Because if this corpse turned out to be living, it's best to get rid of every single cell that corpse is composed of," Tsunayoshi replied.

"But really, there's no need to go that far," said an unfamiliar voice behind the staff. The voice belonged to the corpse, who is now standing up and moving, as if coming back to life.

"It's a zombie!" Zakuro, Daisy, and Bluebell exclaimed, the staff all bringing out personal weapons: Zakuro, a candy dispenser; Daisy, holding his doll in front of him as if a shield; Bluebell, a large blue urn; Kikyo, a pouch of seeds; and Tsunayoshi, the mansion's silverware.

"This person was never dead to begin with," Mukuro explained, partly wondering at the odd array of 'weapons' the staff were holding.

"I'm Moretti. I was using a technique called Addio," the not-dead corpse affirmed Mukuro's explanation. "Reborn called me over, and I had wanted to show my techniques to the future Tenth."

"Moretti belongs to the Vongola and specializes in faking assassinations to throw off the enemy," Reborn added.

"You do know that you could use another way to show us that technique? O-ho," Kikyo asked as the staff put away their 'weapons,' now half of them seeking to beat up the Vongola member. "Instead of making us run around the mansion, searching for you?"

"That part was actually a test from Reborn and I," Zangetsu said, coming around the corner. "He came to me in secret about Moretti, and asked if Moretti could visit for a day. I felt that some of you were becoming a little less active, so I thought that chasing Moretti would be a good exercise."

"Even though we had that 'chasing-Tsunayoshi-for-the-tie' game a few weeks ago when Little Devil came to the mansion?" Zakuro asked.

"That's very thoughtful of you, Master Zangetsu," Tsunayoshi said, going to take Zangetsu's coat. "Apologies that none of us greeted you at the door. Please forgive us."

"That's quite alright. In exchange..." Zangetsu pointed at the direction where the third greenhouse is, "Take care of that brat who sounds like he's destroying the greenhouse."

"Yes, sir. Allow me to take you to your rooms," Tsunayoshi said, leading Zangetsu (and Torikabuto) into the mansion.

"I'd better go take care of the cow and put this plant back in the greenhouse," Daisy said, climbing out of the window.

"By the way, what is that plant?" Moretti asked. "It attacked me as soon as I got within reach."

"I don't remember what it's called," Daisy said, as Bluebell and Zakuro played with the cat plant by dangling some thread out of its reach. "I think it was Tsuna's birthday gift from a friend. Tsuna said that in order to move it, you have to be out of the cat's eyes' range. That way, you won't get attacked."

"Interesting. I'll take it over to the Vongola's Science department," Reborn said, reaching for the cat plant. "Maybe they'll massproduce it and use it as one of the defense mechanisms."

"That'll be very difficult to do," Daisy commented, holding the cat plant before Reborn did. "Because I've been trying to grow this plant myself, and I can't seem to keep it alive without Tsuna's help."

"Then what about the man who gave it to Tsuna? Would he offer some help if the Vongola asked?"

"I don't know. I think he's pretty private. I never met him," Daisy explained. "Anyways, I'll put the plant back."

"Come, Little Devil, Moretti," Kikyo said. "Let us go to the living room and resume breakfast. Or if you prefer, we can serve brunch."

_**Third Greenhouse**_

As soon as Daisy opened the door, pink smoke fogged up the greenhouse. Recognizing the pink smoke from the ten-years-later- bazooka, Daisy didn't panic, but his steps quicken towards the back where the cat plant was at.

When the smoke cleared, a little boy wearing teenage Lambo's butler outfit was left standing close to the cat plant.

"Yare yare, seems like I've come back to the past again," commented the little boy in teenage Lambo's butler outfit.

"Lambo," Daisy called to him.

"Oh? Daisy, hey," malfunctioned teenage Lambo replied, raising a hand to wave to him. Before he could do so, the cat plant attacked him, scratching him with claw leaves and batting him far out of its reach.

The malfunctioned boy landed at Daisy's feet. "Gotta...stay...calm..."

Unable to hold his cries back, malfunctioned teenage Lambo cried the same way child Lambo would cry after Reborn or Hayato would bully him.

"You haven't changed much at all," Daisy commented.

* * *

><p>So sorry for posting this up so late and long overdue. I meant to post this up last night, but my wifi got a little iffy, so...<p>

Anyways, so sorry for being so late. It's just procrastination, college, my grandma needing help in everything she does now that she's weary and weak and not as strong as she used to be, procrastination, etc.

Fingers crossed that I'll post the next chapter up really quick, once I figure out what the next chapter's gonna be.


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